FABLE XCVII
by Unknown · from Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
Adapted Version
A deer lived by the sea. Her name was Dina. Dina had one eye.
Dina lived near the sea. She ate green grass there. Dina had one eye. Her other eye was not there. Dina was a smart deer. She knew she had one eye. She always turned her blind side. She turned it to the big sea. She thought the sea was very safe. No danger came from the water. She felt good there. She felt very safe from the sea. She always did this.
Dina looked at the land. Her good eye watched the land. Danger could come from the land. She looked for hunters. She looked for bad things. She was very careful.
A Hunter lived near the sea. He wanted to catch Dina. He tried many days. He came from the land. But Dina always saw him. She ran away fast. The Hunter was not happy.
The Hunter thought about Dina. He made a new plan. He got a small boat. He would go on the big sea. He would come from the water. Dina did not watch the sea. This was a very good plan. He felt clever.
He took his boat. He went out on the sea. He moved very slowly. He came near the land. He came to Dina's blind side. Dina did not see him. She watched the land. He was very quiet.
The Hunter was close now. He aimed his bow. He shot an arrow. The arrow hit Dina. Dina felt a sharp pain. She was very surprised. Danger came from the sea!
Dina fell down. Her last thoughts were sad. "Oh, no!" she thought. "Danger came from the sea. I thought the sea was safe. I watched the land. I looked for danger there. But danger came from the safe place. It was a big surprise and a sad lesson."
Sometimes, danger comes from safe places. It is good to look everywhere.
Original Story
FABLE XCVII.
THE ONE-EYED DOE.
A Doe, that had but one eye, used to graze near the sea, and that she might be the more secure from harm, she kept her blind side toward the water, from whence she had no apprehension of danger, and with the other surveyed the country as she fed.
By this vigilance and precaution she thought herself in the utmost security; when a sly fellow, with two or three of his companions, who had been poaching after her several days to no purpose, at last took a boat, and, fetching a compass upon the sea, came gently down upon her, and shot her. The Doe, in the agonies of death, breathed out this doleful complaint:—"Oh, hard fate! that I should receive my death wound from that side whence I expected no ill; and be safe in that part where I looked for the most danger."
MORAL.
Our troubles and dangers frequently arise from the direction we least expect them.
THE ONE-EYED DOE.
Story DNA
Moral
Our troubles and dangers frequently arise from the direction we least expect them.
Plot Summary
A one-eyed doe grazes by the sea, always keeping her blind side towards the water, believing it to be the safest direction, while vigilantly watching the land with her good eye. Poachers, unable to catch her from the land, take a boat and approach her from the sea, her perceived safe zone. The doe is shot and, in her dying moments, laments that her death came from the very direction she had deemed free of danger.
Themes
Emotional Arc
security to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Fables often reflect simple societal structures and common dangers of rural life.
Plot Beats (8)
- A doe with one eye lives near the sea.
- She always positions herself with her blind eye facing the sea, believing no danger can come from that direction.
- Her good eye watches the land, where she expects danger.
- Poachers have been trying to catch her for days without success from the land.
- The poachers decide to change their strategy and approach her by boat from the sea.
- They circle around and come upon her from the water, her blind side.
- The poachers shoot the doe.
- In her dying moments, the doe expresses sorrow and surprise that her death came from the very direction she considered safe.
Characters
The One-Eyed Doe
A graceful, slender doe of average height for her species, with a sleek, muscular build. Her coat is a rich reddish-brown, typical of a European deer, with a lighter underside. Her most distinguishing feature is the absence of one eye, leaving a scarred or empty socket on one side of her head.
Attire: None, as she is an animal.
Wants: To survive and remain safe from predators.
Flaw: Her overreliance on a single, predictable defensive strategy and her underestimation of threats from unexpected directions.
She begins as a vigilant but ultimately flawed strategist, and her arc ends tragically with her death, realizing the error of her ways too late.
Vigilant, cautious, intelligent, and somewhat overconfident in her own defensive strategy.
The Sly Fellow
A man of average height and build, perhaps lean from a life of outdoor activity. His movements are described as 'sly,' suggesting a stealthy and cunning demeanor. His skin is likely weathered from exposure to the elements.
Attire: Practical, rustic clothing suitable for poaching in a European setting, likely made of durable wool or linen in muted earth tones (greens, browns, greys) to blend with the environment. Perhaps a rough tunic or shirt, sturdy breeches, and worn leather boots. He might wear a simple cap or hood.
Wants: To successfully hunt and capture the doe, likely for food or profit.
Flaw: His persistence borders on obsession, and his methods are deceptive.
He begins as a frustrated hunter and succeeds in his goal through a change in strategy, remaining a static antagonist.
Sly, persistent, cunning, resourceful, determined, and opportunistic.
Locations
Grassy Seashore Grazing Area
A verdant strip of land directly adjacent to the sea, likely with some gentle slopes or flat areas suitable for grazing. The ground is covered in grass and possibly other low-lying coastal vegetation.
Mood: Initially peaceful and deceptively secure, later turning to a scene of sudden violence and despair.
The doe regularly grazes here, believing herself safe from land-based predators, and is ultimately shot from the sea.
Open Sea Near Shore
The expanse of water directly offshore from the grazing area, calm enough for a small boat to approach silently. The water is likely clear, showing some depth.
Mood: Initially serene and unsuspecting, becoming a place of stealth and impending danger.
The poachers use a boat to approach the doe from her blind side, delivering the fatal shot.