APÉNDICE
by Félix María Samaniego · from Fábulas
Adapted Version
Listen to these short stories about animals! They teach us important things.
The Lion was very old. He was very sick. He could not hunt for food. He felt hungry. He had a clever idea. He sent a message to all animals. "Come to my cave," he said. "I am sick. Please check my breath." Many animals went inside. They went inside. They did not come out. The Lion was tricky. The animals did not know this.
The Fox came to the cave. He looked at the ground. He saw many footprints. All the footprints went inside the cave. No footprints came out. The Fox was very clever. Lion called. Fox said, "No, King." He stayed safe.
A Donkey found a lion's skin. He put it on his body. He looked like a big Lion. He walked in the forest. Other animals saw him. They were very scared. They ran away fast. The Donkey felt very proud. He made a loud sound. "Hee-haw!" he cried. The animals heard him. They knew it was a Donkey. They laughed at him. He felt very silly.
A man loved his cat very much. He wished his cat was a girl. A magic fairy heard his wish. The fairy made the cat a girl. The Cat-Girl sat in a chair. She looked like a girl. Then, a little mouse ran by. The Cat-Girl saw the mouse. She jumped fast. She caught the mouse. She was still a cat inside.
Many little mice lived together. They were scared of a big cat. The cat liked to catch them. The mice had a meeting. They talked about the cat. They made a good plan. They said, "Bell the cat." We will hear it. We will be safe. It was a good idea.
An Old Mouse stood up. He was very wise. He asked a big question. "Who bells the cat?" he asked. All the mice were very quiet. No mouse spoke a word. No one wanted to go near the cat. The plan was good. But it was too hard to do. No mouse could do it.
And so, the animals learned a lesson. Always be true to yourself. Be happy with who you are!
Original Story
APÉNDICE
Hemos creído oportuno agregar, por vía de apéndice, algunas fábulas que hemos encontrado en varios de nuestros clásicos, como Alarcón, Tirso de Molina y Lope de Vega, y que son precisamente versiones más ó menos ingeniosas de algunas fábulas esópicas, que han sido igualmente versificadas por Samaniego.
El León y la Zorra.
Fábula XIV.—Libro I (pág. 29).
Hame dado una lección
La fábula del león;
Ya tú, señor, la sabrás.
Estaba viejo una vez
Y tullido; que no es nuevo
Quien anda mucho mancebo
Estar cojo á la vejez.
Como no podía cazar,
Y andaba solo y hambriento,
Remitió al entendimiento
Los pies que solían volar;
Y llamando á cortes reales,
Mandó por edicto y ley
Que, atendiendo que era rey
De todos los animales,
Acudiesen á su cueva.
Fueron todos, y asentados
Dijo:—¡Vasallos honrados,
Á mí me han dado nueva
Extraña, y que me provoca
Á pesadumbre y pasión,
Y es que dicen que al león
Le huele muy mal la boca:
No es bien que un supuesto real
De tantos brutos señor,
En vez de dar buen olor,
Á todos huela tan mal;
Y así, buscando el remedio,
Hallo que á todos os toca
Que, llegándoos á mi boca,
Veáis si al principio ó medio
Alguna muela podrida
Huele mal, porque se saque,
Y de esta suerte se aplaque
Afrenta tan conocida.—
Metióse con esto adentro,
Y entrando de uno en uno,
No vieron salir ninguno.
La raposa, que es el centro
De malicias, olió el poste,
Y convidándole á entrar
Para ver y visitar
Al león, respondió:—Oste.
Y asomando la cabeza
Dijo:—Por no ser tenida
Por tosca y descomedida
No entro á ver á vuestra alteza;
Que, como paso trabajos,
Unos ajos he almorzado,
Y para un rey no hay enfado
Como el olor de los ajos;
Por aquesta cerbatana
Vuestra alteza eche el aliento,
Que si yo por ella siento
El mal olor, cosa es llana
Que hay muela con agujero,
Y el sacalla está á otra cuenta,
Que yo estoy sin herramienta
Y en mi vida fui barbero.
(Tirso de Molina, El Pretendiente al revés).
El Asno vestido de León.
Fábula V.—Libro V (pág. 108).
—Nunca aspira á ser león
El cordero.
—¡Qué discreto!
—El bruto que con su piel
Una vez se disfrazó,
Causa de su afrenta dió
Á los que burlaron de él.
La ocasión de estar perdido
El mundo, es porque cualquiera,
No contento con su esfera,
Se eleva desvanecido.
Viste seda el oficial
Porque anhela á ciudadano:
Y éste con la hacienda vano,
Ser quiere al hidalgo igual;
El hidalgo, caballero,
Y el caballero, marqués;
Éste príncipe, y después
El príncipe, rey severo:
El rey, hasta emperador
No para siempre anhelando,
Y así se van despeñando,
Desde el esclavo al señor.
Si el hijo del jornalero
En la hacienda se ocupara,
El oficial trabajara,
Y, contento el caballero
Con lo que el cielo le ha dado,
No saliera de compás
Pretendiendo valer más,
Todo anduviera ordenado.
Yo, en fin, que en mi esfera estoy,
Ansí mi oficio entretuve,
Padre que fué sastre tuve,
Sastre nací, y sastre soy.
(Tirso de Molina, Santo y Sastre).
El Asno cargado de reliquias.
Fábula VIII.—Libro IV (pág. 85).
En un librillo he leído
Que en un jumento llevaban
Una diosa que adoraban
Con el respeto debido,
Los que la oían pasar,
Hincándose de rodillas;
Cuyas altas maravillas
Pudo el jumento pensar
(Como en fin era jumento)
Que eran por él, y paróse.
Viéndolo el dueño, enfadóse
Del soberbio pensamiento,
Y pegándole muy bien,
Le dijo con voz furiosa:
—No es á ti, sino á la diosa.
(Lope de Vega, Los Tellos de Meneses).
La Gata mujer.
Fábula XVI.—Libro V (pág. 118).
Conocí un hombre en Atenas
Que pidió á Venus le hiciese
Mujer, con ruegos y ofrendas,
Una gata dominica,
Quiero decir, blanca y negra.
Estando en su estrado un día,
Con moño y naguas de tela,
Vió pasar un animal
De aquestos, como poetas,
Que andan royendo papeles;
Y dando un salto ligera
De la tarima al ratón
Mostró que, en naturaleza,
La que es gata será gata,
La que es perra será perra.
(Lope de Vega, El Castigo sin venganza).
Congreso de los Ratones.
Fábula VIII.—Libro III (pág. 69).
Juntáronse los ratones
Para librarse del gato
Y, después de un largo rato
De disputas y opiniones,
Dijeron que acertarían
En ponerle un cascabel;
Que andando el gato con él
Guardarse mejor podían.
Salió un ratón barbicano,
Colilargo, hociquirromo,
Y encrespando el grueso lomo,
Dijo al senado romano,
Después de hablar culto un rato:
—¿Quién de todos ha de ser
El que se atreva á poner
Ese cascabel al gato?
(Lope de Vega, La Esclava de su Galán).
La Corneja y el Águila.
Es variante de la Fábula, El Grajo vano (pág. 94).
Asistir quiso á la boda
Del águila, mas se halló
La corneja tan sin galas,
Que adornó el cuerpo y las alas
De varias plumas que hurtó
Á otras aves; de manera
Que apenas llegó á las bodas,
Cuando conocieron todas
Sus plumas, y la primera
El águila la embistió
Á cobrarlas con tal furia,
Que para la misma injuria
Ejemplo á las otras dió.
—Detente: ¿qué rabia es ésta?
(Dijo la corneja) advierte
Que sólo por complacerte
Y por venir á la fiesta
Más brillante, las hurté.
Y el águila respondió:
—Necia, ¿por ventura yo
Pudiera culpar tu fe,
Siendo tu fortuna escasa?
Cuando galas no trujeras,
Ó con las tuyas vinieras
Ó estuviéraste en tu casa.
(Alarcón, No hay mal que por bien no venga).
Story DNA
Moral
It is foolish to pretend to be something you are not, as your true nature or lack of ability will eventually be revealed, often with negative consequences.
Plot Summary
This collection presents several fables, each illustrating a moral lesson. An old Lion uses a ruse to trap animals, but a clever Fox avoids his fate. A Donkey disguised as a Lion is exposed by his bray, while another Donkey mistakenly believes veneration is for him, not the relics he carries. A Cat transformed into a woman reverts to her true nature when a mouse appears. Mice famously debate how to bell a dangerous cat, highlighting the difficulty of executing a good plan. Finally, a Jackdaw's attempt to appear grand at a wedding by stealing feathers leads to her humiliation.
Themes
Emotional Arc
ignorance to realization | pride to humility | false security to danger
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
These fables are presented as an 'appendix' of versions found in classic Spanish literature, indicating a tradition of adapting Aesopic fables. The language and social references reflect a pre-modern Spanish context.
Plot Beats (10)
- An old, infirm Lion pretends to be sick and invites animals to his cave to check his breath, but none return.
- A clever Fox, noticing the lack of departing footprints, declines the Lion's invitation, claiming a cold prevents him from smelling.
- A Donkey disguises himself in a Lion's skin, terrifying other animals until his bray reveals his true identity, leading to his punishment.
- A Donkey carrying sacred relics mistakenly believes the reverence shown by people is for him, not the objects he carries, and is corrected by his owner.
- A man asks Venus to transform his cat into a woman, but when a mouse appears, she immediately pounces, revealing her unchanged nature.
- Mice hold a council to devise a plan to protect themselves from a cat, deciding to put a bell on it.
- An old mouse asks who among them will actually put the bell on the cat, highlighting the impracticality of the plan.
- A Jackdaw, wanting to attend an Eagle's wedding in finery, steals feathers from other birds.
- At the wedding, the Eagle and other birds recognize their stolen feathers and attack the Jackdaw, stripping her bare.
- The Eagle chastises the Jackdaw for her foolish pride and dishonesty, stating she should have come as herself or stayed home.
Characters
The Old Lion
A once majestic lion, now significantly aged and infirm. His muscles are atrophied, and his once powerful frame is gaunt. He moves with difficulty, indicating lameness in his legs.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To survive and feed himself despite his old age and inability to hunt, by tricking other animals into his cave.
Flaw: His physical weakness due to old age, which forces him to resort to trickery.
He attempts to maintain his power and survival through deception, but his trickery is ultimately seen through by the Fox.
Cunning, manipulative, deceitful, desperate, proud.
The Fox
A sleek, agile fox, not particularly large but quick and observant. Her fur is likely a reddish-brown, typical of a European fox.
Attire: None, as she is an animal.
Wants: To survive by avoiding the Lion's trap and exposing his deception.
Flaw: None explicitly shown, her caution is her strength.
She successfully outwits the Lion, demonstrating the power of intelligence over brute force.
Intelligent, cautious, observant, shrewd, skeptical.
The Ass (Lion's Skin)
A typical donkey, sturdy and grey, but comically attempting to appear imposing. His true form is evident beneath the disguise.
Attire: A lion's skin, likely ill-fitting and revealing parts of his donkey body underneath.
Wants: To appear more powerful and respected than he truly is by adopting a disguise.
Flaw: His vanity and inability to recognize his own limitations, leading to his downfall.
His disguise is seen through, and he becomes an object of ridicule, reinforcing the moral that one should be content with their own station.
Vain, foolish, pretentious, lacking self-awareness.
The Ass (Relics)
A sturdy, common donkey, built for carrying loads. His coat is likely grey or brown.
Attire: A simple harness or saddle for carrying cargo.
Wants: Initially to carry his load, but then to bask in perceived glory.
Flaw: His inability to understand the true object of veneration, leading to his misplaced pride.
He learns a harsh lesson about humility when his owner corrects his mistaken pride.
Naive, proud, easily mistaken, simple-minded.
The Cat-Woman
A woman with the physical grace and agility of a cat. Her appearance is described as 'blanca y negra' (white and black), suggesting a striking, perhaps piebald, complexion or hair pattern.
Attire: A 'naguas de tela' (fabric petticoats or skirts), indicating a modest but feminine attire of 17th-century Spain. The fabric would be simple, perhaps linen or cotton.
Wants: To live as a human woman, but her true nature compels her to hunt.
Flaw: Her inherent feline nature, which she cannot overcome despite her transformation.
She reverts to her true feline nature when confronted with a mouse, proving that fundamental character cannot be changed by superficial transformation.
Initially appears refined and human, but her underlying primal instincts are strong and uncontrollable.
The Old Mouse (Barbicano)
An old mouse, distinguished by his 'barbicano' (white-bearded) appearance. He has a long tail ('colilargo') and a blunt snout ('hociquirromo'). His back is described as 'grueso lomo' (thick-backed), suggesting a robust, perhaps slightly hunched, build for an old mouse.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To find a practical solution to the problem of the Cat, but also to highlight the difficulty of implementing such a solution.
Flaw: None explicitly shown, his wisdom is his strength.
He serves as the voice of reason, puncturing the unrealistic optimism of the group.
Wise, experienced, pragmatic, courageous (in speaking up), a realist.
The Crow
A common crow, naturally black-feathered, but adorned with stolen, colorful plumes from other birds. Her natural size is smaller and less impressive than an eagle.
Attire: An assortment of bright, mismatched feathers stolen from various birds, attached to her own black plumage.
Wants: To appear more beautiful and grand than she is, specifically to attend the Eagle's wedding in splendor.
Flaw: Her vanity and dishonesty, which lead to her public humiliation.
She is publicly shamed and stripped of her borrowed finery, learning a lesson about honesty and self-acceptance.
Vain, envious, deceitful, foolish, lacking self-awareness.
The Eagle
A magnificent and powerful eagle, with sharp talons and a commanding presence. Her feathers are likely dark brown, with a white head and tail if she is a bald eagle, or golden-brown if a golden eagle (common in European fables).
Attire: None, as she is an animal.
Wants: To maintain order and justice, and to punish those who engage in deceit and theft.
Flaw: None explicitly shown, her strength is her justice.
She acts as the enforcer of justice, upholding the moral order.
Just, stern, proud, discerning, unforgiving of deceit.
Locations
The Lion's Cave
A dark, enclosed space, likely carved into rock or earth, serving as the den of an old, infirm lion. The atmosphere is one of fear and dread for the animals summoned.
Mood: eerie, dangerous, tense
The old lion summons all animals to his cave under false pretenses of a medical check-up, but actually to devour them. The fox cleverly avoids entering.
A Noble's Drawing Room in Athens
A formal reception room in an ancient Athenian home, furnished with a raised platform (tarima) and elegant textiles. The setting is refined, but the underlying nature of the transformed cat is revealed here.
Mood: elegant, domestic, then suddenly wild
A man's transformed cat-wife, dressed in fine clothes, reverts to her feline nature by pouncing on a mouse, proving that nature cannot be entirely changed.
The Mice's Assembly Hall
A gathering place for mice, likely a hidden nook or a large, open space within a human dwelling, where they hold a 'senate' meeting. The atmosphere is initially hopeful, then descends into practical despair.
Mood: tense, deliberative, ultimately frustrated
The mice gather to devise a plan to protect themselves from the cat, proposing to put a bell on it, but no one dares to volunteer for the dangerous task.
The Eagle's Wedding Feast
A grand celebration held outdoors, likely in a natural, open setting suitable for birds of prey. The atmosphere is festive but quickly turns hostile when the crow's deception is revealed.
Mood: festive, then confrontational and shaming
A crow, having adorned herself with stolen feathers, attends the eagle's wedding, only to be exposed and stripped of her borrowed finery by the other birds.