Schlauheit Schützt Nicht Vor
by Unknown · from Japanische Märchen
Adapted Version
Once, The Man caught a big fish. But this was no ordinary fish. It was a very dangerous fish. People knew this fish was bad to eat. The Man cooked the fish with care. He made it ready for his meal. He wanted to eat it very much.
The Man felt worried. He thought about the fish. Was the fish safe to eat? He did not know. He had a good idea. He would test the fish first. He would give a small piece to The Cat.
The Man threw a small piece. He threw it to The Cat. The Cat was very quick. It moved very fast. It grabbed the fish. It ran away very fast. The Cat hid under some wood.
The Man watched The Cat. He waited for a time. He waited a long, long time. The Cat came out. It looked fine. It looked healthy. The Man thought the fish was safe now.
The Man made a big mistake. He thought The Cat ate the fish. He thought The Cat was okay. So The Man felt very brave. He felt very sure. He began to eat his fish. He ate it with a big smile.
The Man did not know. The Cat was clever too. The Cat had a secret plan. The Cat did not eat the fish. It hid the fish instead. It waited to see. Would The Man eat his fish first?
The Cat watched The Man eat. The Man finished his meal. He ate all his fish. The Cat thought it was safe now. It went back to its hidden fish piece. The Cat ate its piece too.
Soon, both felt very bad. The dangerous fish made them sick. The fish was very bad. The Man felt very unwell. The Cat felt very unwell. The fish was bad for both of them.
They both fell very ill. They could not get better. It was a very sad day. The fish was too dangerous. Tricky danger is never good.
Original Story
Schlauheit schützt nicht vor
Täuschung.
m japanischen Meere lebt ein giftiger Fisch, der den Namen Fugu1 hat. Einen solchen Fisch hatte einst ein Mann gefangen und sich zubereitet. Schließlich kamen ihm aber doch Bedenken und er warf zunächst ein Stückchen seiner Katze hin. Diese ergriff es und eilte damit davon. Der Mann lief ihr nach um zu sehen, ob es ihr etwas schade. Die Katze aber war unter einen Holzhaufen gekrochen und kam nach einem Weilchen wieder ganz munter hervor.
Nun dachte der Mann, daß die Katze das Stück Fisch ohne Schaden zu sich genommen habe. Wenn ein so schlaues Tier, wie eine Katze, einen Fisch, der für giftig gehalten wird, nicht verabscheue, sondern unbedenklich verzehre, dann könne er es auch tun; er setzte sich hin und aß mit großem Behagen das Fischgericht. Die Katze aber war wirklich ein schlaues Tier; denn auch ihr waren Bedenken gekommen und sie hatte deshalb das Stück Fisch vorläufig versteckt um erst zu sehen, ob ihr Herr vom Fische genieße. Als sie nun sah, daß er ihn mit gutem Appetit verzehrte, da lief auch sie zurück und ließ es sich schmecken. Aber die Folgen blieben nicht aus. Das Gift fing bald an zu wirken und Herr und Katze starben unter großen Qualen. So sieht man, wie sich selbst der Schlaueste manchmal täuschen läßt.
1. Fugu, ein stachlicher Fisch zur Gattung der Tetrodon gehörig; das Fleisch dieses Fisches ist giftig und daher ungenießbar. Er wird nur gefangen um als Düngemittel verwendet zu werden.
Story DNA
Moral
Even the cleverest can be deceived by their own assumptions and suffer the consequences.
Plot Summary
A man catches a poisonous Fugu fish and, having doubts, decides to test it on his cat. The cat, equally cunning, pretends to eat the fish by hiding it and observing the man. Seeing the cat emerge seemingly unharmed, the man confidently eats the fish. The cat, seeing the man consume it, then eats its hidden piece. Both the man and the cat succumb to the fish's poison, dying in agony, a tragic consequence of their mutual deception and overconfidence.
Themes
Emotional Arc
overconfidence to suffering
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story's note about Fugu being used as fertilizer rather than food emphasizes its inherent danger, which might be less known to a non-Japanese audience.
Plot Beats (9)
- A man catches a Fugu fish, known to be poisonous, and prepares it for consumption.
- He has doubts about its safety and decides to test it on his cat.
- He throws a piece of the fish to the cat, who immediately grabs it and runs to hide under a woodpile.
- The man follows, observing the cat, who eventually reappears seemingly healthy and unharmed.
- Mistakenly believing the cat has eaten the fish without ill effect, the man confidently proceeds to eat the Fugu.
- Unbeknownst to the man, the cat, also cautious, had merely hidden the fish, waiting to see if the man would eat it first.
- Seeing the man consume the fish with relish, the cat then returns to eat its hidden piece.
- Soon after, the poison from the Fugu begins to work on both the man and the cat.
- Both the man and the cat die in great pain, victims of their own misplaced cleverness and mutual deception.
Characters
The Man
Average height and build, likely with features typical of a Japanese fisherman or commoner of the period. His hands might show signs of manual labor, perhaps calloused from fishing.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a Japanese commoner or fisherman. This would include a dark indigo or brown cotton kimono or a short working jacket (hanten) over a simple undergarment, possibly with a woven straw hat (kasa) if he was out fishing. His attire would be functional, perhaps showing signs of wear.
Wants: To enjoy his catch and satisfy his hunger, while ensuring his safety from the known toxicity of the Fugu.
Flaw: Overconfidence in his own cleverness and a tendency to project human reasoning onto an animal, leading him to misinterpret the cat's actions.
Starts as a cautious but clever individual, becomes overconfident in his interpretation of events, and ultimately succumbs to the very danger he tried to avoid, dying from the poison.
Resourceful (caught and prepared the fish), cautious (tested the fish on the cat), self-assured (believed he outsmarted the danger), and ultimately gullible (fell for the cat's trick).
The Cat
A sleek, agile domestic cat, typical of Japanese breeds, perhaps with a slender build and short fur. Its movements are quick and deliberate.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To survive and satisfy its hunger, but only after ensuring the food is safe. It wants to eat the fish without being poisoned.
Flaw: Its desire for the fish ultimately leads it to consume the poison, despite its initial caution.
Starts as a clever creature that outsmarts its owner by feigning safety. It then succumbs to the same fatal mistake as its owner, dying from the poison, showing that even its cunning could not save it from the Fugu's toxicity.
Extremely cunning, cautious, observant, and self-preserving. It demonstrates a high level of intelligence by anticipating danger and mimicking its owner's actions.
Locations
Fisherman's Humble Home
A simple, traditional Japanese home, likely with tatami mats and shoji screens, where the fisherman prepares his meal.
Mood: Initially domestic and ordinary, turning to suspenseful and ultimately tragic.
The fisherman prepares the fugu, has initial doubts, and then decides to eat it after observing his cat.
Woodpile beside the House
A pile of cut wood, likely stacked neatly outside the traditional Japanese house, providing a hiding spot.
Mood: Initially a place of observation and perceived safety, later becoming a silent witness to tragedy.
The cat hides the piece of fugu under the woodpile, waiting to see the effect on its master, demonstrating its cunning.