FABLE XLVI
by Unknown · from Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
Adapted Version
One sunny day. A very hungry Hog ate. He ate yummy acorns. He was under a big Oak Tree. The Hog loved the acorns. He ate them fast. He ate one by one. They tasted so good. He wanted all of them. He saw many more acorns. He was happy to find much food. The Hog made happy sounds. Yum, yum, yum! He ate and ate. He ate with all his might.
The big Oak Tree saw the Hog. It felt very important. It stood very tall. The Oak Tree spoke. "Mr. Hog," it said. "I give you good food. These acorns are from me. You eat my acorns now. You do not say thank you. Why no thank you? You should say thanks."
The Oak Tree said, "Mr. Hog, you are not polite! You eat my food. You do not say thank you. You have bad manners." The Hog just ate more. He did not look up. He kept eating his meal. The Oak Tree was not happy. It felt ignored.
The Hog looked up a little. He did not stop eating. He chewed his acorns slowly. He spoke to the Oak Tree. "I eat now," the Hog said. "I hear your words. But I still eat my food. It is very good food."
The Hog said, "I would say thank you. But you did not give them to me. The acorns fell from you. You did not mean to feed me. You did not do a kind thing. You did not give them on purpose. So I do not say thank you. It was not a gift."
The Hog said, "Give my babies food tomorrow. Make acorns fall for them. Give them on purpose. That would be a kind act. Then I will say thank you. My babies will eat the food. They will be very happy. Then you can ask for thanks. I will thank you then, for sure. That is a true thank you."
Real thank yous are for real kindness.
Original Story
FABLE XLVI.
THE HOG AND THE ACORNS.
One moonshiny night,
With a great appetite,
A Hog feasted on Acorns with all his might:
Quite pleased with his prize
Both in taste and in size,
While he ate he devoured the rest with his eyes.
You know, I'm in joke,
When I say that the oak,
Moved a bough to the grunter before she spoke;
But you know, too, in fable,
We feel ourselves able
To make anything speak—tree, flower, or table.
Said the Oak, looking big,
"I think, Mr. Pig,
You might thank me for sending you fruit from my twig;
But, you ill-behaved Hog!
You devour the prog,
And have no better manners, I think, than a dog."
He replied, looking up,
Though not ceasing to sup,
Till the Acorns were eaten—ay, every cup—
"I acknowledge, to you
My thanks would be due,
If from feelings of kindness my supper you threw.
"To-morrow, good dame,
Give my children the same,
And then you, with justice, may gratitude claim."
MORAL.
He merits no praise
To the end of his days,
Who to those who surround him no service conveys.
Story DNA
Moral
He merits no praise to the end of his days, who to those who surround him no service conveys.
Plot Summary
A hungry Hog is enjoying a feast of acorns under an oak tree. The Oak tree, personified, scolds the Hog for his lack of gratitude, comparing his manners to a dog's. The Hog replies that gratitude is only due if the gift was given out of kindness, not merely by chance. He challenges the Oak to provide for his children tomorrow, stating that only then would gratitude be truly earned.
Themes
Emotional Arc
none
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Fables often use animals to satirize human behavior and convey moral lessons, a tradition dating back to Aesop.
Plot Beats (7)
- A hungry Hog is happily devouring acorns under an oak tree on a moonlit night.
- The narrator interjects to explain that in fables, inanimate objects can speak.
- The Oak tree, personified, speaks to the Hog, expressing annoyance at his lack of gratitude for her acorns.
- The Oak calls the Hog ill-behaved and compares his manners to a dog's.
- The Hog, without stopping his meal, replies to the Oak.
- The Hog states that thanks would only be due if the acorns were given out of kindness.
- The Hog challenges the Oak to provide for his children tomorrow, and then gratitude would be justly claimed.
Characters
The Hog
A large, robust hog with a thick, bristly hide. His body is broad and heavy, indicative of a creature accustomed to plentiful foraging. He has a powerful snout, ideal for rooting.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To satisfy his hunger and provide for his offspring.
Flaw: His overwhelming gluttony and lack of immediate gratitude, which makes him appear rude.
He does not undergo a significant arc within this short fable, remaining consistent in his pragmatic and self-interested nature.
Gluttonous, ungrateful, pragmatic, self-interested, direct.
The Oak
A very large, ancient oak tree with a massive, gnarled trunk and widespread, sturdy branches. Its leaves are dense and green, and it bears numerous acorns.
Attire: None, as it is a tree. Its 'clothing' is its bark and leaves.
Wants: To be acknowledged and appreciated for its contribution (providing acorns).
Flaw: Its pride and expectation of immediate gratitude, which makes it misinterpret the Hog's actions.
The Oak does not undergo a significant arc, maintaining its proud and somewhat judgmental stance.
Proud, self-important, somewhat condescending, expects gratitude, observant.
Locations
Beneath the Ancient Oak
A clearing beneath a massive, ancient oak tree, its gnarled branches spreading wide. The ground is covered with fallen leaves and acorns.
Mood: Quiet, natural, slightly eerie due to the moonlight and the talking tree.
The hog feasts on acorns, and the oak tree speaks to him.