FABLE XLIV
by Unknown · from Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
Adapted Version
Once there was a man. He loved money very, very much. His name was Mr. Hoarder. He saved all his money. He did not spend any of it. He kept it all safe.
Mr. Hoarder had much money. He dug a deep hole. It was in his field. He put all his money there. He covered it carefully with dirt. He wanted it to be safe. It was his secret spot.
Every day, Mr. Hoarder went to his secret spot. He dug up his money. He looked at all the coins. He felt very happy. Then he put it back. He never used it. He just looked at his money.
A man worked for Mr. Hoarder. His name was The Worker. He saw Mr. Hoarder. Mr. Hoarder went to the spot every day. The Worker saw him go. He wondered, 'Why does he go there?'
One night, The Worker waited. Mr. Hoarder was asleep. The Worker went to the spot. He dug in the dirt. He found the money. He took it all. He went far, far away.
Next day, Mr. Hoarder went. He went to his spot. He dug in the ground. He looked for his money. But it was not there. The money was gone. He found nothing in the hole.
Mr. Hoarder was very sad. He cried very loudly. Big tears rolled down his face. He put his hands on his head. 'My money! My money is gone!' he cried. He felt very, very bad.
A neighbor heard him. His name was Mr. Wise. Mr. Wise came to him. 'Why do you cry?' he asked. Mr. Hoarder said, 'My money is gone! Someone took it!' Mr. Wise listened. He knew Mr. Hoarder well.
Mr. Wise said, 'You did not use it. The money was just in the ground. You did not spend it. Now the hole is empty. You can still look at the hole. Just pretend the money is there. It is the same. You never used it anyway, did you?'
Original Story
FABLE XLIV.
THE COVETOUS MAN.
A poor covetous wretch, who had scraped together a good parcel of money, went and dug a hole in one of his fields and hid it. The great pleasure of his life was to go and look upon this treasure once a day at least; which one of his servants observing, and guessing there was something more than ordinary in the place, came at night, found it, and carried it off. The next day, returning as usual to the scene of his delight, and perceiving it had been stolen away from him, he tore his hair for grief, and uttered the doleful complaints of his despair to the woods and meadows. At last, a neighbour of his, who knew his temper, overhearing him, and being informed of the occasion of his sorrow, "Cheer up, man!" says he, "thou has lost nothing; there is the hole for thee to go and peep at still; and if thou canst but fancy thy money there, it will do just as well."
MORAL.
Money, well used, has its full value; but when allowed to lie useless to others or to one's self, it possesses no more value than a heap of oyster shells. Avarice is, therefore, a silly as well as a sinful vice. Use your wealth in doing good, and its highest value will be attained.
Story DNA
Moral
Money only has value when it is used; hoarding it makes it worthless and avarice is a foolish vice.
Plot Summary
A miserly man buries his money, finding his only joy in visiting it daily. A servant observes this ritual, steals the money, leaving the man distraught. A neighbor, knowing the man's nature, offers cold comfort, stating that since the money was never used, the empty hole serves the same purpose for his joyless obsession, highlighting the worthlessness of hoarded wealth.
Themes
Emotional Arc
false security to despair to philosophical resignation
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Fables often reflect common human vices and virtues, providing moral instruction relevant across various historical periods.
Plot Beats (9)
- A poor, covetous man accumulates a sum of money.
- He buries his money in a field to keep it hidden and safe.
- His greatest joy is to visit the hidden treasure daily.
- One of his servants notices his daily visits and suspects something is hidden there.
- The servant secretly digs up the money at night and steals it.
- The next day, the covetous man discovers his treasure is gone.
- He is overcome with grief and despair, tearing his hair and complaining to nature.
- A neighbor, knowing the man's temperament, overhears his cries and learns of the theft.
- The neighbor advises the man that since he never used the money, he has lost nothing, and can still enjoy looking at the empty hole as if the money were there.
Characters
The Covetous Man
A man of average height with a gaunt, thin build, suggesting a life of self-deprivation rather than robust health. His skin is sallow, and his hands are likely calloused from manual labor, despite his wealth, as he would avoid paying others for tasks he could do himself.
Attire: Wears simple, worn, and patched peasant clothing typical of 17th or 18th century European rural life: a coarse linen shirt, patched wool breeches, and a threadbare jerkin. His boots would be scuffed and muddy, and his clothes would be practical but show no signs of care or expense.
Wants: To accumulate and hoard money, finding his sole pleasure in its mere possession, not its use.
Flaw: His extreme avarice and inability to enjoy his wealth, leading to profound misery when it is lost.
He experiences a profound loss and despair, but the story ends before he truly learns a lesson, only being offered a cynical perspective by his neighbor.
Covetous, secretive, miserly, despairing, self-pitying.
The Servant
Likely of average build, perhaps a bit lean from a life of service. His appearance would be unremarkable, allowing him to observe his master without drawing undue attention.
Attire: Wears practical, sturdy servant's attire typical of 17th or 18th century European rural life: a simple tunic, breeches, and sturdy shoes, all in dark, functional colors.
Wants: To gain wealth for himself, seeing an opportunity in his master's foolishness.
Flaw: His opportunistic nature, which leads him to theft.
He acts as a catalyst for the Covetous Man's despair but does not have a personal arc within the story.
Observant, opportunistic, cunning, practical.
The Neighbor
Likely a man of sturdy, practical build, reflecting a life of honest labor. His appearance would be more grounded and less anxious than the Covetous Man.
Attire: Wears practical, well-maintained peasant clothing typical of 17th or 18th century European rural life: a sturdy wool tunic, practical breeches, and a simple leather belt. His clothes would be functional but show care, unlike the Covetous Man's.
Wants: To offer a pragmatic, albeit harsh, perspective on the Covetous Man's loss.
Flaw: His lack of empathy for the Covetous Man's emotional distress.
He serves as the voice of the moral, providing a stark contrast to the Covetous Man's emotional state, but does not undergo a personal arc.
Observant, pragmatic, cynical, direct, unsympathetic.
Locations
The Covetous Man's Field
A nondescript agricultural field, likely with tilled earth or low crops, where a small, freshly dug hole serves as a secret hiding place for treasure. The ground is disturbed where the money is buried.
Mood: Initially secretive and satisfying for the owner, later desolate and despairing after the theft.
The man buries his money, visits it daily, discovers it stolen, and laments his loss.