FABLE LXVI
by Unknown · from Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
Adapted Version
Once there was a big, strong Stag.
Stag went to drink water. He saw himself. He saw his face in the water. The water was clear. He looked at his own shape.
Stag saw his horns. Oh, his horns were big! They were pretty. They looked nice on his head. He liked his horns very much. He felt happy.
Then Stag saw his legs. He did not like his legs. They looked thin. They looked small. He felt sad about his legs. He wished he had no legs.
Suddenly, Stag heard a sound. Woof, woof! Dogs barked. He heard shouts. Hunters were near. They came to find Stag. Stag felt scared.
Stag ran fast. Run, run, run! His thin legs moved very fast. He ran away from the Dogs. He ran away from the Hunters. His legs helped him. They helped him go far. He ran very far away.
Stag ran into some trees. The trees were thick. His big horns got caught. Oh no! His horns were stuck. He could not move. He tried to pull. But his horns stayed stuck. He was trapped.
The Dogs came closer. Woof, woof! The Hunters came too. They found Stag. Stag was still stuck. He could not run. He could not get away. He was very sad.
Stag was sad. He thought about his horns. His big, pretty horns made him stuck. They stopped him. He thought about his legs. His thin legs helped him run fast. His legs were good. They could save him. But his horns made him stay. He learned a big lesson. His pretty horns were not good. His useful legs were very good. He felt very sad. He wished he liked his legs more.
The Stag was sad. He learned that his pretty horns made him stuck. His fast legs were good. It is good to have things that help you, not just things that look nice.
Original Story
FABLE LXVI.
THE STAG AT THE POOL.
A Stag that had been drinking at a clear spring, saw himself in the water; and, pleased with the sight, stood long contemplating and surveying his shape and features from head to foot. "Ah!" says he, "what a glorious pair of branching horns are there! How gracefully do those antlers hang over my forehead, and give an agreeable turn to my whole face! If some other parts of my body were but in proportion to them, I would turn my back to nobody; but I have a set of such legs as really make me ashamed to see them. People may talk what they please of their conveniences, and what great need we stand in of them, upon several occasions; but, for my part, I find them so very slender and unsightly that I had as lief have none at all."
While he was giving himself these airs, he was alarmed with the noise of some huntsmen and a pack of hounds that had been just laid on upon the scent, and were making towards him.
THE STAG AT THE POOL.
Away he flees in some consternation, and, bounding nimbly over the plain, threw dogs and men at a vast distance behind him. After which, taking a very thick copse, he had the ill-fortune to be entangled by his horns in a thicket, where he was held fast, till the hounds came in and pulled him down. Finding now how it was likely to go with him, in the pangs of death, he is said to have uttered these words:—"Unhappy creature that I am! I am too late convinced that what I prided myself in has been the cause of my undoing, and what I so much disliked was the only thing that could have saved me."
MORAL.
Beauty often becomes a snare and ruin, while solid virtue, though unadorned, gains respect. The latter, too, will mature with age, while the former will surely fade.
Story DNA
Moral
Beauty often becomes a snare and ruin, while solid virtue, though unadorned, gains respect. The latter, too, will mature with age, while the former will surely fade.
Plot Summary
A vain Stag admires his beautiful horns in a pool but despises his slender legs. When hunters and hounds appear, his legs swiftly carry him to safety, but his magnificent horns become entangled in a thicket, trapping him. The hounds catch and kill him, leading the dying Stag to realize that what he prided himself on caused his undoing, and what he disliked was his only hope for salvation.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to humility
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Fables often served as moral instruction, particularly in pre-modern societies, using animal characters to make lessons relatable and less confrontational.
Plot Beats (9)
- A Stag sees his reflection in a clear spring.
- He admires his magnificent horns, finding them glorious and graceful.
- He expresses disdain for his slender, unsightly legs, wishing he didn't have them.
- Huntsmen and hounds are heard approaching, having picked up his scent.
- The Stag flees in panic, using his despised legs to quickly outrun the hunters.
- He enters a thick copse, but his large horns get caught in a thicket, trapping him.
- The hounds and huntsmen catch up to the immobilized Stag.
- The Stag is pulled down by the hounds.
- In his dying moments, the Stag laments that his prideful horns led to his demise, while his disliked legs were his only means of escape.
Characters
The Stag ★ protagonist
A large, majestic male deer with a powerful, muscular body, covered in a coat of reddish-brown fur, typical of a European red deer. His overall build is strong and agile, designed for swift movement, though he perceives his legs as too slender.
Attire: N/A (animal)
Wants: To admire his own beauty and maintain his pride in his appearance.
Flaw: His vanity and pride in his antlers, which ultimately lead to his downfall by entangling him.
He begins as a vain creature, proud of his superficial beauty and disdainful of his practical features. He learns, too late, that true value lies in utility and substance rather than mere appearance, experiencing a tragic realization in his final moments.
Vain, self-absorbed, superficial, regretful, initially proud.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, majestic male red deer standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a powerful, muscular body covered in reddish-brown fur. His face is long and noble with large, dark brown eyes. A magnificent pair of dark brown, rough-textured branching antlers spread wide and curve gracefully over his forehead. His muzzle is a lighter tan. He stands with a proud, slightly contemplative expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Huntsmen ⚔ antagonist
A group of sturdy, active men, likely of average height and build, dressed for the rigors of the hunt. Their faces are weathered from outdoor life, and their hands are calloused.
Attire: Practical, durable hunting attire typical of 18th-century European commoners or gentry: sturdy wool or linen breeches, leather boots, simple tunics or coats in earthy tones (greens, browns), and possibly leather caps or tricorn hats. They carry hunting horns and possibly simple knives.
Wants: To hunt and capture the stag.
Flaw: N/A (minor characters, no specific weakness shown)
N/A (static characters, serving as a plot device).
Determined, persistent, skilled in their trade, focused.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sturdy adult man, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. He has a weathered face, short brown hair, and a determined expression. He wears sturdy brown leather boots, practical green wool breeches, and a simple brown linen tunic. A small leather hunting horn hangs from his belt. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Hounds ⚔ antagonist
A pack of strong, lean hunting dogs, likely a breed similar to foxhounds or staghounds, with powerful legs, deep chests, and keen senses. Their coats are short, possibly mottled or bi-colored (e.g., white with brown or black patches).
Attire: N/A (animal)
Wants: To track and bring down the stag, driven by instinct and training.
Flaw: N/A (minor characters, no specific weakness shown)
N/A (static characters, serving as a plot device).
Relentless, obedient to their masters, instinct-driven, predatory.
Image Prompt & Upload
A lean, muscular hunting dog, similar to a foxhound, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible from head to toe. It has a short, sleek coat of white with large brown patches, a long snout, floppy ears, and intelligent, focused brown eyes. Its body is tense and ready for pursuit. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Clear Spring in a Forest Glade
A tranquil, sun-dappled clearing within a European forest, centered around a spring of exceptionally clear, still water. The ground is soft earth, possibly with some moss or low-growing ferns around the water's edge. Sunlight filters through the canopy, creating dappled patterns on the water and ground.
Mood: Peaceful, reflective, initially serene but quickly turning anxious
The Stag admires his horns and despises his legs in his reflection, just before being alarmed by hunters.
Image Prompt & Upload
A pristine, still spring pool reflects the surrounding European forest canopy, with shafts of soft morning sunlight piercing through the leaves and dappling the water's surface. The forest floor around the spring is covered in damp, dark earth and vibrant green moss, with a few delicate ferns growing at the water's edge. The air is calm and clear, suggesting a gentle breeze. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Open Plain
A wide, expansive European plain, likely grassland or heathland, offering little cover. The ground is firm and suitable for fast running, stretching out under an open sky.
Mood: Urgent, desperate, exposed
The Stag flees from the huntsmen and hounds, using his strong legs to gain distance.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast, undulating European grassland plain stretches towards a distant, blurred tree line under a bright, clear morning sky. The ground is covered in short, dry grasses and occasional patches of heather, showing faint tracks of movement. The light is even and bright, emphasizing the wide-open space and lack of immediate cover. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Thick Copse/Thicket
A dense, overgrown patch of European woodland, characterized by closely growing trees, intertwined branches, and thick underbrush forming a nearly impenetrable thicket. The ground is likely uneven, covered with fallen leaves and twigs.
Mood: Trapping, claustrophobic, fatalistic
The Stag becomes fatally entangled by his horns, leading to his capture and demise.
Image Prompt & Upload
A dense, dark European copse, where closely packed trees with gnarled, intertwining branches form an almost impenetrable thicket. The undergrowth is thick with thorny bushes and tangled vines, casting deep shadows on the uneven forest floor, which is littered with decaying leaves and twigs. Patches of filtered sunlight struggle to penetrate the dense canopy, creating a somber, enclosed atmosphere. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
