ANTONIO DE TRUEBA
by Unknown · from Fábulas y cuentos en verso: Selección
Adapted Version
By a clear stream, Wolf met Lamb.
Wolf was big and angry. Lamb was small and quiet. Green grass grew by the hill. Clear water ran down. Morning light sat on the water. Wolf stood high on the bank. Lamb stood lower near the grass.
Wolf drank from the stream. Lamb stood below him. “You made my water dirty,” said Wolf. Wolf looked hard at Lamb. Lamb felt afraid, but stayed calm. His eyes were sharp and cold. He spoke first. “You made this water bad,” said Wolf. “You spoiled my drink,” said Wolf. Lamb listened and did not move.
“I am below you,” said Lamb. “The water comes from above.” “It goes down to me.” “I cannot make your water dirty.” Lamb spoke soft and true. He wanted Wolf to understand. He was small, but careful. He looked at the running stream. “It starts near you,” said Lamb. “Then it comes down here.”
Wolf did not listen. He wanted a new excuse. He did not want the truth. He only wanted blame. “Then your father did it,” said Wolf. “You must pay for that.” This was false and unfair. Lamb looked up at Wolf. “My father did not do that,” said Lamb. But Wolf stayed hard and mean. Lamb stayed polite and still. The little lamb did nothing wrong.
The stream kept moving down. The grass moved in the wind. Wolf gave no true reason. He was bigger than Lamb. Lamb had no help there. Wolf leaped at Lamb. Then the small lamb was gone. The stream still ran clear. The hill stayed still and quiet. The grass bent a little. Soon, only Wolf stood there. It was a sad end.
This is a sad lesson. Some strong people tell false things. They want to hurt weak ones. They make excuses again and again. Some big people use false blame. They say wrong things as truth. They pick someone small and kind. That is not right. But false words stay false. Lamb was small and true. Wolf was big, but wrong. Kind and true still matter. Being strong does not make right.
Original Story
ANTONIO DE TRUEBA
Bilbao, 1821; † 1889.
EL EJEMPLO
Cuenta un autor, cuyo nombre
no conservo en la memoria,
porque fácilmente al hombre
se le va el santo a la gloria;
cuenta, repito, que un día
en una ciudad que expresa,
se sentó como solía
una familia a la mesa.
Según los datos completos
que tenemos a la vista,
constaba de los sujetos
que marca la adjunta lista:
un viejo temblón y cano;
dos esposos, por lo visto
hijo y nuera del anciano,
y un niño travieso y listo.
Cada cual con mucho celo
el estómago repara;
mas hete que al pobre abuelo
se le escurre la cuchara,
y como ésta es de metal,
hace doscientos añicos
un plato de pedernal,
por más señas, de los ricos.
El marido y la mujer
gritan con mil desacatos:
—¡A ese modo de romper
no ganamos para platos!
Continuó la pelotera,
y cuentan que al otro día
en un plato de madera
el pobre viejo comía;
mas tan mal se las compuso,
como estaba tan temblón,
que pan y manteles puso
hechos una perdición.
—¡Esto ya pasa de raya!
—gritan marido y mujer—;
levántese usted y vaya
a la cocina a comer;
y si allí no le conviene,
vaya a comer al establo,
que a todos dados nos tiene
con su suciedad al diablo.
En cuanto oyó este consejo
o más bien, este mandato,
bajó la cabeza el viejo
y se largó con su plato;
y desde aquella función
despachaba en la cocina
tristemente su ración
por evitar tremolina.
Llorando el anciano un día
la ingratitud de sus hijos,
sus tristes ojos tenía
el pobre en su nieto fijos.
Y al ver que un madero grueso
el niño afanoso esconde,
le dice: —¿Para qué es eso?
Y su nieto le responde:
—De este madero saldrá
un plato de buena clase
para que papá y mamá
coman cuando yo me case.
Y exclama el mísero anciano:
—¡Hará lo que hacen conmigo!
¡Dios mío! ¡Tu santa mano
puso en la culpa el castigo!
LOS TRES AMIGOS
Según Herder, un sujeto
que tenía tres amigos
a dos de ellos profesaba
el más profundo cariño,
y a la amistad del tercero
se mostraba siempre frío.
Cierto día fué acusado
de un horroroso homicidio,
y se hallaba con el alma
como quien dice en un hilo,
aunque era el hombre inocente
de tan bárbaro delito.
—Amigos míos, me acusan
de un asesinato —dijo—,
y el juez, según me han contado,
está como un basilisco.
Soy inocente, y deseo
que vengáis los tres conmigo
a declarar mi inocencia
en calidad de testigos.
Dió por excusa el primero
unos asuntos precisos;
acompañóle el segundo
si bien un poco remiso,
pero así que vió la turba
de centinelas y esbirros
que el tribunal custodiaban,
volvió pies atrás, más listo
que Cardona, temeroso
de que le echaran los cinco.
No esperaba el acusado
mucho del tercer amigo;
pero éste, fiel y animoso,
compareció ante el ministro
de la ley, y al acusado
defendió tan a lo vivo
que declarado inocente
fué en aquel instante mismo.
Tres amigos tiene el hombre
en el mundo en que vivimos,
¿cómo se portan con él
ante el tribunal divino?
El dinero es el primero
de los tres en su cariño,
y es el primero también
que le abandona mezquino.
Los deudos y los parientes
tiene por segundo amigo;
hasta junto a su sepulcro
van haciendo pucheritos,
mas se asustan de la muerte
y se vuelven atrás listos
diciendo a lo más: —Allá
nos esperes muchos siglos.
Por último, son las obras
buenas su tercer amigo,
y aunque con indiferencia
por él miradas han sido,
de tal modo le defienden
ante el tribunal divino,
que al fin el manto de gracia
cubre todos sus delitos.
LA PARTE DEL LEÓN[2]
Fuéronse de caza
sin perros ni trompas
el león, el oso,
el lobo y la zorra;
y así que cazaron
porción nada corta
de cabras y ovejas
y chotos y potras,
—Hagamos —dijeron—
el reparto ahora
e inmediatamente
llenemos la andorga.
—¿Quién se encarga de ello?
—preguntó con sorna
el león, sin duda
buscando camorra—.
—¡Yo! —responde el oso,
cuya afición tonta
es hacer el ídem.
—Pues manos a la obra.
Cuando en cuatro partes
la caza amontona,
al león el oso
le dice que escoja
una de las cuatro,
que iguales son todas.
—¡Tú partir no sabes!
—gruñe con voz ronca
el león al oso,
que replicar no osa.
Y ¡ham! de un dentellazo
me lo descogota,
y a la zorra dice
con frase melosa:
—Chiquita, el reparto
vas a hacer tú ahora,
que fío has de hacerlo
a pedir de boca,
pues como chiquita
no eres maliciosa.
En cinco montones
la repartidora
reparte la caza,
y acabada su obra
al león le dice
con una graciosa
reverencia: —Vuestra
majestad escoja
de estas cinco partes
las tres que le tocan:
como león, una,
como monarca, otra,
y otra como jefe...
—Hola, hola, hola
—dice el león—; veo
que tú no eres boba.
Y añade, moviendo
de gusto la cola:
—Di, ¿quién te ha enseñado
todas esas cosas?
—¿Quién, señor...? El oso,
—contesta la zorra.
EL LOBO Y EL CORDERO[3]
El lobo y el cordero llegaron a un arroyo,
el lobo atormentado más de hambre que de sed,
y entre lobo y cordero sobrevino este diálogo,
que a mí me suena como sobrevenido ayer:
—Súbdito miserable, morirás, pues el agua
que yo, tu rey, bebía, te atreviste a enturbiar.
—¿Cómo, señor, haceros tal injuria he podido
estando más abajo que vuestra majestad?
—Si no lo has hecho ahora, lo hiciste hace seis meses.
—Señor, si todavía de edad no tengo dos.
—Pues si tú no lo has hecho, tu padre es quien lo haría,
y es justo que ahora mismo sufras la expiación.
Así diciendo, el lobo, sin conciencia ni entrañas
hizo al cordero víctima de su voracidad;
que siempre los tiranos, a falta de razones
para oprimir al justo, razones falsas dan.
Story DNA
Moral
Those in power will always find a pretext to oppress the innocent, even if their reasons are false.
Plot Summary
A hungry wolf encounters a lamb drinking downstream from him and falsely accuses the lamb of muddying his water. The lamb logically refutes each of the wolf's escalating and increasingly absurd accusations, proving his innocence. Despite the lamb's clear reasoning, the wolf, driven by his predatory nature and lack of conscience, invents a final, baseless justification and devours the lamb. The story concludes with the moral that tyrants will always find false reasons to oppress the just.
Themes
Emotional Arc
injustice to tragedy
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Antonio de Trueba was a 19th-century Spanish writer known for his regionalist stories and fables. This particular fable is a retelling of a very ancient and widespread tale, famously adapted by Aesop and La Fontaine.
Plot Beats (8)
- A wolf, more hungry than thirsty, and a lamb arrive at a stream.
- The wolf confronts the lamb, accusing him of muddying the water he is drinking.
- The lamb logically explains that he is downstream from the wolf, making it impossible for him to muddy the wolf's water.
- The wolf dismisses this, claiming the lamb must have done it six months ago.
- The lamb responds that he is not even two months old, so that is also impossible.
- The wolf, out of excuses, declares that if the lamb didn't do it, his father must have, and the lamb must pay for it.
- Without further reason or conscience, the wolf attacks and devours the lamb.
- The narrator concludes by stating that tyrants always invent false reasons to oppress the innocent when true reasons are lacking.
Characters
The Old Man ★ protagonist
A frail, thin man of advanced age, with a slight tremor in his hands. His posture is likely stooped from age and sorrow.
Attire: Simple, worn clothing typical of a Spanish elderly man in the 19th century, likely made of coarse wool or linen in muted colors like browns or grays, perhaps a simple tunic and trousers, showing signs of wear and mending.
Wants: To live peacefully and be cared for by his family in his old age, to avoid conflict and further mistreatment.
Flaw: Physical frailty, lack of assertiveness, emotional vulnerability to his children's cruelty.
He begins as a respected elder at the family table but is progressively demoted and isolated due to his physical infirmities, ending up eating alone in the kitchen, a symbol of his children's ingratitude. He learns that his suffering is a consequence of his own past actions, as his grandson's actions mirror his own.
Submissive, sorrowful, resigned, quiet, long-suffering.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly Spanish man, thin and slightly stooped, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. He has a deeply wrinkled face, thin white hair, and sad, downcast eyes. He wears a simple, worn brown linen tunic over dark trousers, with a rope belt. His hands are slightly trembling. He holds a plain wooden plate in his left hand. Resigned, sorrowful expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Husband ⚔ antagonist
A man in his prime, likely of average build, perhaps a bit stern in his demeanor. He would carry himself with an air of authority within his household.
Attire: Respectable, but not overly luxurious, clothing for a Spanish householder of the 19th century. Perhaps a dark wool jacket, a white linen shirt, and dark trousers, practical yet indicating his status as head of the household.
Wants: To maintain order and cleanliness in his home, to avoid financial loss from broken dishes, to assert his authority.
Flaw: Lack of empathy, short-sightedness, cruelty, inability to foresee consequences.
He remains static in his cruelty, but his actions set in motion a karmic lesson for himself, revealed through his son's actions.
Impatient, harsh, ungrateful, demanding, quick-tempered.
Image Prompt & Upload
A Spanish man in his late 30s, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. He has a stern, clean-shaven face with dark, neatly combed hair and dark, narrow eyes. He wears a dark grey wool jacket over a white linen shirt, dark trousers, and polished leather shoes. His arms are crossed, and he has a disapproving, impatient expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Wife ⚔ antagonist
A woman in her prime, likely of average build, mirroring her husband's sternness in her expression and posture.
Attire: A practical but respectable dress for a Spanish housewife of the 19th century, perhaps a dark, long-sleeved dress made of sturdy cotton or wool, with a simple apron over it, in colors like deep blue or brown.
Wants: To maintain order and cleanliness in her home, to avoid financial loss, to support her husband's decisions.
Flaw: Lack of empathy, short-sightedness, cruelty, inability to foresee consequences.
She remains static in her cruelty, but her actions contribute to the karmic lesson that will eventually affect her and her husband.
Impatient, harsh, ungrateful, demanding, prone to complaining.
Image Prompt & Upload
A Spanish woman in her late 30s, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. She has a stern, unsmiling face with dark hair pulled back into a neat bun, and dark, critical eyes. She wears a dark blue, long-sleeved cotton dress with a plain white apron tied at the waist. Her hands are on her hips, and she has an impatient, disapproving expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Child ◆ supporting
A young boy, described as 'mischievous and clever,' implying a lively and observant nature. He would be small and agile.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing for a Spanish boy of the 19th century, likely a linen shirt, short trousers, and perhaps a waistcoat, in earthy tones, possibly with some signs of play.
Wants: To imitate his parents' behavior, to prepare for his own future, to play and learn.
Flaw: Childish innocence that leads him to mimic negative behavior without understanding its full impact.
He acts as a catalyst for the Old Man's realization, demonstrating the cyclical nature of karma by innocently mimicking his parents' cruelty towards his grandfather, intending to do the same to them in their old age.
Observant, clever, imitative, innocent (in his understanding of consequences), mischievous.
Image Prompt & Upload
A Spanish boy around 7 years old, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. He has a bright, curious face with dark, slightly messy hair and wide, observant eyes. He wears a cream linen shirt, dark brown short trousers, and simple leather sandals. He holds a thick piece of uncarved wood in his hands, looking at it intently. A mischievous yet innocent expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Lion ⚔ antagonist
A large, powerful African lion, with a muscular build and a commanding presence. His movements would be deliberate and imposing.
Wants: To assert his absolute authority, to take the largest share of resources, to maintain his position as king.
Flaw: Overconfidence, reliance on brute force, susceptibility to flattery.
He remains static, demonstrating the unchanging nature of tyranny and how it can be appeased through cunning flattery.
Dominant, cunning, ruthless, greedy, tyrannical, intimidating.
Image Prompt & Upload
A majestic adult male African lion, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. He has a powerful, muscular build, a thick golden-brown mane, and piercing amber eyes. His expression is one of cunning and dominance, with a slight snarl. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Bear ◆ supporting
A large, robust brown bear, with a heavy, powerful build. His movements would be somewhat clumsy but strong.
Wants: To be helpful, to avoid the Lion's wrath, to participate in the hunt.
Flaw: Naivety, lack of intelligence, fear of the Lion, poor judgment.
He serves as a cautionary example of what happens to those who are honest but lack cunning when dealing with a tyrant.
Well-meaning, foolish, eager to please, easily intimidated, lacking in cunning.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large adult brown bear, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. He has a thick coat of dark brown fur, a broad snout, and small, dark eyes. His expression is earnest but slightly bewildered. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Fox ◆ supporting
A slender, agile red fox, with a sleek coat and a bushy tail. Her movements would be quick, graceful, and calculating.
Wants: To survive, to avoid the Lion's wrath, to gain favor through cleverness.
Flaw: Self-interest, fear.
She demonstrates how cunning and flattery can be used to survive and even thrive under tyranny, learning from the Bear's fatal error.
Cunning, intelligent, self-preserving, flattering, observant, manipulative.
Image Prompt & Upload
A sleek adult red fox, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. She has vibrant reddish-orange fur, a pointed snout, and bright, intelligent amber eyes. Her expression is one of feigned innocence, with a slight, knowing smirk. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Wolf ○ minor
A lean, grey wolf, with a predatory build. His movements would be watchful and cautious around the Lion.
Wants: To survive, to get a share of the hunt, to avoid conflict with the Lion.
Flaw: Fear of the Lion, lack of initiative.
He remains static, serving as a background character who observes the dynamics of power.
Wary, opportunistic, self-preserving, silent observer.
Image Prompt & Upload
A lean adult grey wolf, standing upright, facing forward, full body visible head to toe. He has a coat of mottled grey fur, a long snout, and keen, wary yellow eyes. His posture is slightly hunched, and his expression is watchful and cautious. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Family Dining Room
A traditional dining room in a Spanish home, likely with a sturdy wooden table where a family gathers for meals. The mention of a 'flint plate' suggests a certain level of household wealth or quality.
Mood: Initially familial and routine, quickly turns tense, then becomes a place of exclusion and sadness for the grandfather.
The grandfather's clumsiness leads to his banishment from the family table, first to a wooden plate, then to the kitchen, and finally to the stable. The grandson's observation here sparks a moment of realization for the family.
Image Prompt & Upload
A traditional Spanish dining room from the 19th century, featuring a heavy, dark wooden table set with simple ceramic plates and metal cutlery. Sunlight streams through a tall window, illuminating dust motes in the air and casting long shadows across the patterned tile floor. The walls are plastered in a warm, earthy tone, and a dark wooden sideboard stands against one wall. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Kitchen
A functional, less formal space than the dining room, where the grandfather is sent to eat. It would be a typical 19th-century Spanish kitchen, possibly with a hearth or simple cooking area.
Mood: A place of banishment and quiet sorrow for the grandfather, contrasting with the family's main living areas.
The grandfather is forced to eat his meals here, away from his family, due to his perceived messiness.
Image Prompt & Upload
A rustic 19th-century Spanish kitchen, with whitewashed walls and a rough-hewn timber ceiling. A large, open hearth dominates one wall, with cooking pots hanging from hooks. A simple, sturdy wooden table stands in the center, illuminated by the soft, indirect light from a small, high-set window. Stone flagstones cover the floor. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Stable
A humble stable, likely attached to the family's home or nearby, where animals are kept. It would be a dirty, basic environment.
Mood: The ultimate place of degradation and isolation for the grandfather, symbolizing his family's extreme disrespect.
The grandfather is threatened with being sent here to eat, highlighting the family's cruelty.
Image Prompt & Upload
A dimly lit, rustic Spanish stable from the 19th century, with rough wooden stalls filled with hay. The ground is packed earth, and shafts of dusty light filter through gaps in the weathered wooden walls and a small, high window. The air is thick with the scent of straw and animals. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Courtroom / Tribunal
A formal judicial setting, likely a Spanish courtroom of the era, where accusations are heard and justice is dispensed. It would be a place of authority and solemnity.
Mood: Tense and intimidating, reflecting the gravity of the accusation and the power of the law.
The accused man faces trial for murder, and his friends' loyalty (or lack thereof) is tested here.
Image Prompt & Upload
A solemn 19th-century Spanish courtroom, with high, arched windows letting in diffused daylight. Dark, polished wooden benches are arranged for spectators, facing a raised platform for the judge, adorned with a heavy, dark fabric. The walls are stone or plastered in a muted color, and the floor is made of large, worn flagstones. Uniformed guards stand by the entrance. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Arroyo (Stream)
A small, natural stream or brook, likely in a rural or wilderness setting, where a wolf and a lamb come to drink. The water would be flowing.
Mood: Initially peaceful, quickly turns menacing and unjust.
The wolf confronts the lamb, using false accusations to justify its predation.
Image Prompt & Upload
A narrow, winding arroyo with clear, shallow water flowing over smooth, grey river stones. Lush green grass and reeds line the banks, with a few scattered wild flowers. Sunlight filters through sparse, leafy trees on the distant bank, casting dappled light on the water's surface. The air is fresh and still. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
