FABLE XIX
by Unknown · from Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
Adapted Version
Once, a happy Horse lived in a field. A big Stag lived there too. They lived in a nice pasture. The grass was green and good. The Horse ate the green grass. He liked the taste. The Stag ate the green grass. He liked it too. They were both in the field. It was their lovely home. They shared the good land. They lived together.
The Stag had big, sharp horns. He was very strong. The Stag did not like the Horse. He wanted the field for himself. He wanted all the grass. The Stag pushed the Horse. He used his strong horns. He made loud noises. The Horse was scared. He felt afraid. He ran away fast. The Stag made him leave. The Horse left his home. He felt very sad. He had no home now.
The Horse was sad. He was all alone. He had no home. He missed his home. He wanted his field back. He did not know what to do. He needed help. The Horse looked for help. He saw a Man. The Man was strong. The Man looked kind. The Horse went to the Man. He asked for help.
The Man said, "I can help you." The Horse felt happy. But the Man had a condition. He said, "You must wear a bridle." A bridle goes in your mouth. He said, "You must wear a saddle." A saddle goes on your back. Then I will help you.
The Horse wanted his home back. He wanted the Stag gone. So the Horse said, "Yes." He let the Man put on the bridle. He let the Man put on the saddle. The Man got on his back.
They went to the field. The Stag was there. The Man rode the Horse. They chased the Stag. The Stag ran away fast. He ran far away. The Stag was gone. The field was safe.
The Horse was happy. He had his home back. He said to the Man, "Thank you." He said, "Please take off the bridle." He said, "Please take off the saddle." He wanted to be free.
The Man smiled. He said, "No, Horse." He said, "You are useful now." He said, "You must work for me." He said, "You cannot be free." The Horse felt very sad. He was not happy now. He had to work every day. He was not free anymore. He missed his old life. He was trapped by the Man.
Be careful when you ask for help. You might lose something important. You might lose your freedom.
Original Story
FABLE XIX.
THE HORSE AND THE STAG.
The Stag, with his sharp horns, got the better of the Horse, and drove him clear out of the pasture where they used to feed together. So the latter craved the assistance of man, and, in order to receive the benefit of it, suffered him to put a bridle into his mouth, and a saddle upon his back. By this means he entirely defeated his enemy, but was mightily disappointed when, upon returning thanks, and desiring to be dismissed, he received this answer: "No; I never knew before how useful a drudge you were; now I have found out what you are good for, you may depend upon it, I will keep you to it."
MORAL.
Help yourself, if you can do so; but at any rate, before you seek the assistance of a powerful man, be sure that the help he gives you will be disinterested, or you may find that in helping you he may put you under obligations fatal to liberty.
Story DNA
Moral
Before seeking assistance from a powerful entity, ensure their help is disinterested, or you may lose your freedom in the process.
Plot Summary
A Horse is driven from his pasture by a Stag. Desperate, the Horse seeks help from a Man, agreeing to wear a bridle and saddle in exchange for assistance. Together, they defeat the Stag, but when the Horse asks to be freed, the Man refuses, having discovered the Horse's usefulness and deciding to keep him enslaved. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of seeking help from powerful entities without considering the potential cost to one's liberty.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to disappointment
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Fables often reflect ancient societal structures and power dynamics, particularly between humans and animals, and the dangers of unequal alliances.
Plot Beats (8)
- A Horse and a Stag share a pasture.
- The Stag, using his horns, asserts dominance over the Horse and drives him out of the pasture.
- The Horse, feeling helpless, decides to seek assistance from a Man.
- The Man agrees to help the Horse, but only if the Horse allows him to put a bridle in his mouth and a saddle on his back.
- The Horse, desperate to defeat the Stag, agrees to these terms.
- The Man, riding the Horse, successfully defeats the Stag and drives him away from the pasture.
- The Horse, thankful for the help, asks the Man to remove the bridle and saddle and dismiss him.
- The Man refuses, stating he has discovered the Horse's usefulness as a 'drudge' and will keep him enslaved.
Characters
The Horse
A sturdy, muscular horse of average height, built for grazing and running. His coat is a rich, earthy brown, well-maintained and glossy from a life of freedom.
Attire: Initially unadorned, living freely. Later, he is forced to wear a simple leather bridle with metal bits and a functional leather saddle, likely dark brown or black, designed for utility rather than ornamentation.
Wants: To regain access to his pasture and defeat the Stag who drove him out.
Flaw: His desperation and naive trust in the Man's promise of temporary assistance, leading him to sacrifice his freedom.
Starts free and proud, becomes desperate and seeks help, achieves his immediate goal but loses his ultimate freedom, ending up enslaved.
Proud, initially independent, desperate, trusting, regretful.
The Stag
A majestic and formidable stag, larger than average, with a powerful, lean build. His coat is a rich reddish-brown, typical of a red deer, and he moves with an agile grace.
Attire: None, as a wild animal.
Wants: To assert dominance over the pasture and drive out the Horse.
Flaw: Overconfidence and underestimation of the Horse's resourcefulness in seeking external aid.
Introduced as a dominant force, he successfully drives out the Horse, but is ultimately defeated by the Horse's alliance with the Man.
Aggressive, territorial, dominant, competitive.
The Man
A sturdy, practical man of average height and build, with hands calloused from work. His features are unremarkable, suggesting a life of labor rather than luxury.
Attire: Simple, durable peasant or farmer's clothing suitable for the era, perhaps a rough linen tunic, sturdy wool breeches, and practical leather boots. Colors would be muted, like browns, greys, or undyed fabrics.
Wants: To gain a useful servant and exploit the Horse's power for his own benefit.
Flaw: His lack of empathy and willingness to exploit others for personal gain, which makes him untrustworthy.
Remains unchanged in his opportunistic nature, gaining a valuable asset through the Horse's misfortune.
Shrewd, opportunistic, practical, self-interested, unyielding.
Locations
The Pasture
A shared grazing land, likely open and grassy, where the Horse and Stag originally fed together.
Mood: Initially peaceful, then contentious and competitive.
The initial conflict between the Horse and the Stag, where the Stag drives the Horse out.
Man's Encampment/Dwelling
The place where the Horse seeks assistance from man, implying a human presence with tools like bridles and saddles.
Mood: Initially hopeful for the Horse, later revealing a sense of entrapment and loss of freedom.
The Horse makes a pact with man, sacrificing its freedom for help against the Stag.