MOORISH FABLES
by Unknown · from The Talking Beasts: A Book of Fable Wisdom
Adapted Version
Animals talked long ago. Many stories to tell. Here are three of them!
Jackal had a plan. He talked to Fox. "Wagtail must give me butter," Jackal said. Fox said, "Yes, she must." Wagtail heard them. She felt very sad. Wagtail cried big tears. Greyhound came near. "Why do you cry?" he asked. Wagtail told him. "Fox said bad things." Greyhound had an idea. "Put me in this bag," he said. Wagtail put him inside. Jackal came to the bag. He opened the bag. Greyhound jumped out! He caught Fox. Fox felt very scared. Greyhound said, "Do not lie." Fox promised to be good. It is not good to tell lies.
Little wrens saw a big animal. They told their father Wren. "Papa, it was so big!" they said. Wren stretched his leg. "Bigger than this?" he asked. "Much bigger!" they cried. Wren felt very proud. "No animal is bigger than me," he said. Camel came back. He walked near the nest. The Camel walked past, very, very big. Wren felt a tiny breeze. He saw how truly big the Camel was. He knew he was wrong. It is not good to be too proud.
Mule, Jackal, and Lion walked together. They made a plan. They said, "Send away the different family." Lion asked, "Who is your father?" Jackal asked, "Who is your father?" Lion said, "My family is good." Jackal said, "My family is good too." Mule said, "My father is a donkey." He said, "My mother is a horse." Lion and Jackal looked at Mule. "Your family is different," they said. Mule asked for time. He went to a wise old animal. The wise animal told him a clever trick. Mule got special, shiny shoes for his feet. He felt ready now. Mule called Camel. "Look at my shoes," he said. "Read the special pattern." Camel looked but did not know. Then Mule called Lion. "Come read my shoes," Mule said. Lion came closer. As Lion came close, Mule stomped his foot loudly. Lion and Jackal jumped back, surprised. They ran away, feeling silly. Mule was safe. It is good to be clever and brave.
Our animal friends teach us many good things.
Original Story
MOORISH FABLES
"While watching man in all his phases,
And seeing that, in many cases,
He acts just like the brute creation—
I've thought the lord of all these races
Of no less failings showed the traces
Than do his lieges in relation."
MOORISH FABLES
The Wagtail and the Jackal
At a time when the animals spoke, a Wagtail laid her eggs on the ground. The little ones grew up. A Jackal and a Fox came to them. The Jackal said to the Fox:
"Swear to me that the Wagtail owes me a pound of butter."
The Fox swore to it. The Bird began to weep. A Greyhound came to her and asked her what was the matter. She answered him:
"The Fox has calumniated me."
"Well," said the Hound, "put me in this sack of skin."
She put him in the sack. "Tie up the top well," said the Hound. When the Jackal returned she said to him,
"Come and measure out the butter."
The Jackal advanced and unfastened the sack. He saw the Hound, who stretched out his paws and said to the Fox,
"I am ill; come and measure, Fox."
The Fox approached. The Hound seized him. The Jackal said:
"Remember your false testimony."
The Wren
A Wren had built its nest on the side of a road. When the eggs were hatched, a Camel passed that way. The little Wrens saw it and said to their father when he returned from the fields:
"O papa, a gigantic animal passed by."
The Wren stretched out his foot. "As big as this, my children?"
"O papa, much bigger."
He stretched out his foot and his wing. "As big as this?"
"O papa, much bigger."
Finally he stretched out fully his feet and legs.
"As big as this then?"
"Much bigger."
"That is a lie; there is no animal bigger than I am."
"Well, wait," said the little ones, "and you will see."
The Camel came back while browsing the grass of the roadside.
The Wren stretched himself out near the nest. The Camel seized the bird, which passed through its teeth safe and sound.
"Truly," he said to them, "the Camel is a gigantic animal, but I am not ashamed of myself."
On the earth it generally happens that the vain are as if they did not exist; but sooner or later a rock falls and crushes them.
Mule, Jackal, and Lion
The Mule, the Jackal, and the Lion went in company.
"We will eat the one whose race is bad," they said to each other.
"Lion, who is your father?"
"My father is a lion, and my mother is a lioness."
"And you, Jackal, what is your father?"
"My father is a jackal, and my mother too."
"And you, Mule, what is your father?"
"My father is an ass, and my mother is a mare."
"Your race is bad; we will eat you."
He answered them: "I will consult an old man. If he says that my race is bad, you may devour me."
He went to a farrier, and said to him, "Shoe my hind feet, and make the nails stick out well."
He went back home. He called the Camel and showed him his feet, saying, "See what is written on this tablet."
"The writing is difficult to decipher," answered the Camel. "I do not understand it, for I only know three words—outini, ouzatini, ouazakin."
He called the Lion, and said to him, "I do not understand these letters; I only know three words—outini, ouzatini, ouazakin."
"Show it to me," said the Lion. He approached. The Mule struck him between the eyes and stretched him out level.
He who goes with a knave is betrayed by him.
Story DNA
Moral
False testimony and vanity lead to downfall, while cunning can overcome brute force.
Plot Summary
This collection of fables features talking animals demonstrating moral lessons. In 'The Wagtail and the Jackal,' a cunning Greyhound helps a Wagtail get justice against a Jackal and Fox who falsely accuse her. In 'The Wren,' a vain Wren refuses to believe his children about a gigantic animal, only to be humbled by the passing Camel. Finally, in 'Mule, Jackal, and Lion,' a Mule, deemed to have a 'bad race,' outsmarts a Lion by luring him close to 'read' his specially shod feet, delivering a powerful kick and escaping being eaten.
Themes
Emotional Arc
injustice to justice | pride to humility | danger to safety
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Moorish fables often feature animal characters to convey moral lessons, similar to Aesop's Fables, reflecting a tradition of oral storytelling and wisdom transmission.
Plot Beats (10)
- A Jackal conspires with a Fox to falsely accuse a Wagtail of owing butter.
- The Wagtail weeps and is approached by a Greyhound, who offers to help by hiding in a sack.
- The Jackal unfastens the sack, and the Greyhound emerges, seizing the Fox for his false testimony.
- A Wren's chicks describe a gigantic animal, but the Wren, full of vanity, insists no animal is bigger than him.
- The Camel returns, and the Wren stretches himself out, only to be seized and passed through the Camel's teeth, realizing the Camel's true size.
- A Mule, Jackal, and Lion agree to eat the one with a 'bad race'.
- The Lion and Jackal declare their pure lineage, while the Mule admits his parents were an ass and a mare.
- The Mule asks for time to consult an old man and goes to a farrier to have his hind feet shod with protruding nails.
- The Mule calls the Camel and then the Lion to 'read' the writing on his feet.
- As the Lion approaches to read, the Mule strikes him between the eyes with his shod foot, knocking him out.
Characters
The Wagtail
A small, slender bird with a long, constantly wagging tail. Its plumage is likely a mix of black, white, and grey, typical of a wagtail species found in North Africa, such as the African Pied Wagtail. Delicate build, agile movements.
Attire: Natural plumage of black, white, and grey feathers.
Wants: To protect herself and her family from injustice and harm.
Flaw: Physically small and easily intimidated; prone to despair when faced with powerful adversaries.
Starts as a victim, but learns to trust and empower others to fight her battles, leading to her vindication.
Vulnerable, emotional (weeps easily), trusting (puts the Hound in a sack), resourceful (follows the Hound's instructions).
The Jackal
A lean, cunning canine, typical of a North African golden jackal. Medium-sized, with sandy-brown fur, a bushy tail, and pointed ears. Agile and quick, with a predatory glint in his eyes.
Attire: Natural fur coat of sandy-brown.
Wants: To gain something (butter) through trickery and intimidation.
Flaw: Cowardice; easily deterred by a stronger opponent.
Remains unchanged in his villainy, but is outsmarted and defeated.
Deceptive, manipulative, greedy (wants a pound of butter), cowardly (flees when the Hound appears).
The Fox
A sleek, reddish-brown fox, typical of a Fennec fox or Red fox found in North Africa. Smaller than the Jackal but equally cunning, with a bushy tail and pointed ears. Agile and quick.
Attire: Natural fur coat of reddish-brown.
Wants: To assist the Jackal, likely out of fear or shared gain.
Flaw: Lack of independent will; easily coerced into wrongdoing.
Serves as an accomplice and is punished for his false testimony.
Dishonest (swears falsely), easily manipulated (by the Jackal), cowardly (seized by the Hound).
The Greyhound
A tall, slender, and muscular greyhound, with short, smooth fur, possibly grey or fawn. Known for its speed and strength. Elegant and powerful build, with a long snout and keen eyes.
Attire: Natural short, smooth fur.
Wants: To help the distressed Wagtail and bring justice.
Flaw: None apparent in the story; acts as a pure force of justice.
Acts as a rescuer, bringing resolution to the Wagtail's conflict.
Heroic, clever, protective, decisive, strategic.
The Wren
A very small, plump bird with dull brown plumage, a short tail often held upright, and a fine, pointed beak. Agile and quick, but physically diminutive.
Attire: Natural plumage of dull brown feathers.
Wants: To maintain his self-image as the largest and most significant animal; to protect his children.
Flaw: Excessive vanity and pride, leading to disbelief and a dangerous encounter.
Starts as vain and arrogant, but is humbled by a direct experience, learning the value of truth and humility.
Vain, proud, dismissive of others' observations, ultimately humble (after the encounter), protective of his children.
The Camel
A gigantic, imposing dromedary camel, with a single hump, long legs, and a long neck. Its fur is sandy-brown, and its movements are slow and deliberate. Its sheer size is its most defining feature.
Attire: Natural sandy-brown fur.
Wants: Simply to browse grass and pass by.
Flaw: None apparent; acts as a force of nature.
Serves as a catalyst for the Wren's lesson, remaining unchanged.
Unassuming, gentle (allows the Wren to pass through its teeth unharmed), immense, indifferent to smaller beings.
The Mule
A sturdy, strong mule, a hybrid of a donkey and a mare. It has a robust build, long ears, and a short, tufted tail. Its coat is likely a dull brown or grey. Known for its stubbornness and strength.
Attire: Natural dull brown or grey fur.
Wants: To avoid being eaten and to prove his worth despite his mixed heritage.
Flaw: His mixed heritage makes him vulnerable to prejudice.
Starts as a potential victim due to his lineage but uses his cunning and strength to turn the tables on his persecutors.
Resourceful, clever, strategic, vengeful (against those who would eat him), strong-willed.
The Lion
A powerful, majestic lion, with a thick mane (if male) and tawny fur. Large and muscular, embodying strength and authority. Its roar is formidable.
Attire: Natural tawny fur and a magnificent mane.
Wants: To maintain his position of power and to enforce his arbitrary rules (eating those with 'bad race').
Flaw: His arrogance and overconfidence, leading him to fall for a simple trick.
Starts as an imposing authority figure but is humiliated and defeated by a seemingly weaker opponent.
Proud, authoritative, dismissive of those he deems inferior, easily tricked by cleverness, arrogant.
Locations
Roadside Nesting Site
A humble nest built directly on the ground beside a well-trodden road, likely dusty or sandy, with sparse grass and other low-lying vegetation growing along its edges.
Mood: Initially peaceful and domestic, later becomes a scene of wonder and then a test of ego.
The Wagtail lays her eggs and raises her young; the Jackal and Fox attempt to trick her; the Greyhound intervenes.
Open Roadside with Grazing
A stretch of open land bordering a road, where grass grows sufficiently for a large animal like a camel to browse. The area is exposed to the elements.
Mood: Expansive and natural, a place of routine passage and simple sustenance.
The Camel passes by the Wren's nest, grazing, and later returns, demonstrating its size to the Wren.
Farrier's Workshop
A functional, rustic workshop belonging to a farrier, likely with a forge, tools, and the smell of hot metal and horse. It would be a practical, sturdy structure.
Mood: Gritty, industrious, and utilitarian.
The Mule visits the farrier to have special shoes fitted to its hind feet as part of its plan.