I am currently book-making, saw this video which is rather inspiring. Will try to do some of the interactive elements shown here, try to put into my children’s book for more fun.
The Fox
From the 5 fables
1. The Fox and the Grapes
2. The Fox and the Crow
3. The Fox and the Stork
4. The Fox and the Leopard
5. The Fox and the Goat
The Fox is someone who is Smart, Witty and Clever (wins Leopard). However, using his gifts the wrong way, he is a sly Prankster who frequently uses Smooth-talking to trick and play pranks on other people (Crow, Stork and Goat). Since he is used to getting his way, he is a Sore-loser when he fails to get what he wants (Grapes).
The Fox and the Goat
Source: http://www.planetozkids.com/oban/legends/fox-goat-aesop-fable.htm
Fable:
One hot sunny day, a thirsty fox was looking down into a deep well, and fell in.
“I wanted some water, but not this much” said the fox to himself, as he splashed around in the water.
“Now how am I going to get out of here” he said, looking up at the top of the well.
Just then a thirsty goat came to the well. He looked down and was surprised to see the fox in the water.
“What are you doing down there?” asked the goat.
“I came down to get some of this wonderful cool water” said the fox, pretending everything was alright.
“Come on down and try some. It’s the best water you’ll ever taste” he shouted up at the goat. ‘And there isn’t any more water for miles.”
“I’m thirsty, and that water does look so good” thought the goat.
“OK. Look out, I’m coming down,” the goat shouted to the fox as he jumped down into the well.
Just as the goat started drinking, the fox said, “There’s one small problem. The top of the well is so high it’s going to be hard getting out of here. But don’t worry I have a plan.”
“If,” he said to the goat “you put your front feet on the wall of the well, I’ll run up your back and jump up to the top. Once I’m out I’ll help you to get out too.”
The goat did as he was told and the fox leapt onto his back, jumped up on to his horns, and then scrambled up out of the well.
“That was a really good plan” said the fox.
“See you later” he said, looking down at the goat.
“But, what about me?” cried the goat from the bottom of the well.
“If you had any brains you would never have gone down there until you had worked out how to get out.” said the fox.
“Have you ever heard the expression, look before you leap?” laughed the fox as he ran away.
Moral: Look before you leap.
Existing illustrations:
Profile view.
Bird’s eye view.
Bottom view.
Observation:
Top and bottom perspective provides greater visual enjoyment due to the exaggerated sense of scale and distance.
Modern interpretations of the story:
Modernized setting of baggage check. Fox makes use of naive goat to smuggle stuff. Look before you leap.
City scape of Fox falling into sewage hole.
Character analysis of Fox: Sly, witty, Clever
Character analysis of Goat: Naive, Gullible, Dumb
The Fox and the Leopard
Fable:
A Fox and a Leopard, resting lazily after a generous dinner, amused themselves by disputing about their good looks. The Leopard was very proud of his glossy, spotted coat and made disdainful remarks about the Fox, whose appearance he declared was quite ordinary.
The Fox prided himself on his fine bushy tail with its tip of white, but he was wise enough to see that he could not rival the Leopard in looks. Still he kept up a flow of sarcastic talk, just to exercise his wits and to have the fun of disputing. The Leopard was about to lose his temper when the Fox got up, yawning lazily.
“You may have a very smart coat,” he said, “but you would be a great deal better off if you had a little more smartness inside your head and less on your ribs, the way I am. That’s what I call real beauty.”
Moral:
A fine coat is not always an indication of an attractive mind.
Beauty is often only skin deep.
Existing illustrations:
Observation: The two animals are always shown side by side.
Character analysis of Fox: Smart, witty
Character analysis of Leopard: Show-off, shallow
The Fox and the Stork
Traditional Fable:
Source: http://www.virted.org/fables/foxstor.html
At one time the Fox and the Stork were on visiting terms and seemed very good friends. So the Fox invited the Stork to dinner, and for a joke put nothing before her but some soup in a very shallow dish. This the Fox could easily lap up, but the Stork could only wet the end of her long bill in it, and left the meal as hungry as when she began.
“I am sorry,” said the Fox, “the soup is not to your liking.”
“Pray do not apologize,” said the Stork. “I hope you will return this visit, and come and dine with me soon.”
So a day was appointed when the Fox should visit the Stork; but when they were seated at table all that was for their dinner was contained in a very long-necked jar with a narrow mouth, in which the Fox could not insert his snout, so all he could manage to do was to lick the outside of the jar.
“I will not apologize for the dinner,” said the Stork:
“One bad turn deserves another.”
Questions to discuss:
- Did the Stork do the right thing in paying back the Fox’s rude behavior?
- What do you think happened after the fable ended with the fox and the stork?
More detailed version:
Source: http://marialuciauribe.blogspot.com/2007/06/fox-and-stork.html
Once upon a time . . . a fox made friends with a stork and decided to invite her to lunch. While he was wondering what to serve for the meal, he thought he’d play a trick on the bird. So he prepared a tasty soup and poured it into two flat plates.
“Help yourself, Mrs Stork! I’m sure you’ll enjoy this! It’s frog soup and chopped parsley. Taste it, you’ll find it’s delicious!”
“Thank you very much!” said the stork, sniffing the soup. But she quickly saw the trick the fox had played on her. For no matter how she tried, she could not drink the soup from the flat plate. The sniggering fox urged her on:”Eat up! Do you like it?” But all the stork could do was bluff. With a casual air she said: “I’m afraid I’ve such a headache that I’ve lost my appetite!” And the fox fussily replied: “What a shame! And it’s such good soup too! Too bad! Maybe next time . . .” To which the stork quickly replied: “Yes, of course! Next time, you must have lunch with me!”
The very next day, the fox found a polite note pinned to his door: it was the stork’s invitation to lunch. “Now, isn’t that nice of her!” said the fox to himself. “And she hasn’t taken my little trick to heart either! A real lady!”
The stork’s house was much plainer than the fox’s, and she apologized to the fox. “My home is much humbler than yours,” she said, “but I’ve cooked a really special meal. Freshwater shrimps with white wine and juniper berries!” The fox licked his lips at the idea of these goodies and sniffed deeply when the stork handed him his jar. But, try as he might, he was unable to eat a bite, for he could not reach down with his nose into the long neck of the jar.In the meantime, with her long beak, the stork gobbled her lunch.
“Try it! Try it!” she said. “Do you like it?” But the unlucky fox, confused and outsmarted, could not think of an excuse for not eating. And as he tossed and turned hungrily in bed that night, thinking of his lost lunch, he said to himself with a sigh: “I might have known!”
Moral: Do unto other as you would have other do unto you!
Someone’s response:
Source: http://marialuciauribe.blogspot.com/2007/06/fox-and-stork.html
Dear MaLu,
I think this story has a lot of significance in today’s globalised world. We often act like the fox or the stork when dealing with people from a different country or culture.
I am from India. During my recent visit to Korea, I was invited to my Korean colleague’s home for dinner. Hospitaility was at its best. His wife and mother had prepared a 25 course meal for me; but hardly was anything palatable to me, as I was a vegetarian and also not fond of eating too much garlic!
If my Korean friend were to ever visit me in India, I would rather search out for a Korean restaurant to treat him, and not insist on offering Indian food!
This doesn’t apply only for food. Culture is so diverse, that you can find this fox and stork story in many other places.
It need not be a question of revenge at all!
regards
Padmanabhan (Padhu)
Existing book:
Existing illustrations:
Observation: Similar boring profile view.
Video of the story:
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXRR_o7gulw
Humorous depiction of the story.
Character analysis of Fox: Trickster, Prankster
Character analysis of Stork: Calm, Witty
The Fox and the Crow
Source: http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/FoxCrow.shtml
Traditional version:
The Fox and The Crow
A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree.
“That’s for me, as I am a Fox,” said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree.
“Good day, Mistress Crow,” he cried. “How well you are looking today: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds.”
The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox.
“That will do,” said he. “That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future: “Do not trust flatterers.”
Moral: Do not trust flatterers.
Alternative version:
Source: http://www.aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?2&TheFoxandtheCrow
The Fox and the Crow
A CROW having stolen a bit of meat, perched in a tree and held it
in her beak. A Fox, seeing this, longed to possess the meat
himself, and by a wily stratagem succeeded. “How handsome is the
Crow,” he exclaimed, in the beauty of her shape and in the
fairness of her complexion! Oh, if her voice were only equal to
her beauty, she would deservedly be considered the Queen of
Birds!” This he said deceitfully; but the Crow, anxious to refute
the reflection cast upon her voice, set up a loud caw and dropped
the flesh. The Fox quickly picked it up, and thus addressed the
Crow: “My good Crow, your voice is right enough, but your wit is
wanting.”
Differences:
Cheese vs Meat
Praise vs Challenge
Modern Version:
Source: http://www.planetozkids.com/oban/legends/fox-crow-aesop-fable.htm
The Fox and the Crow
Aesop fable retold by Oban
One day, while he was out walking, a fox saw a crow swoop down and pick up a piece of cheese in its beak. The crow then flapped its wings and flew up onto a high branch in a nearby tree.
“Man, that’s a tasty looking piece of cheese,” said the fox to himself.
“Hey, I should have that cheese. I’m the fox and I deserve it,” he said. “I’m a sly, smooth talking fox too. I’ll have it soon enough.”
The fox walked over to the foot of the tree. “Hi ya, Miss Crow” cried the fox.
“How are you today?” asked the fox. “You’re looking mighty fine. Is there something different about you? Have you changed shampoo?”
“Your feathers look so glossy and black and your eyes are sparkling like diamonds,” said the fox, flattering the crow. “Hey, have you lost weight? Your figure looks great,”
“Wow, if you can sing as good as you look then I’ll have to call you Queen of all Birds” said the fox.
Flattered by all the compliments from the fox, and wanting to be called Queen of all Birds, the crow lifted her head and began to sing.
But the moment she opened her mouth the cheese fell out, and the quick fox jumped and caught it before it hit the ground.
“Yes!!!” yelled the fox, holding the cheese up over his head as he did his victory dance. “I got what I wanted.”
The fox looked up at the sad crow in the tree. “To show you I’m not a really bad guy I’ll give you some advice for the future” he said to the crow.
“ Never trust a flatterer.”
Existing book:
Existing illustrations:
Observation:
They all look alike. Profile view, similar angles. Nothing new.
More interesting illustration:
Close-up.
Cartoon style.
http://www.redbubble.com/people/tsipilevin/art/293043-12-the-fox-and-the-crow
Mixed media, shadows, silhoutte.
Simple shapes.
Nice expression.
Videos of the story:
Use of perspective (bird’s eye view).
Accompanying song.
Observation: Backdrop of story — Summer vs Winter
Character analysis of Fox: Sly, witty, smooth-talking
Character analysis of Crow: Eager to prove herself, not witty.
What is a fable?
Source: http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/folklore/f/fable1.htm
Question: What is a fable?
Answer: A fable is a short, pithy animal tale, most often told or written with a moral tagged on in the form of a proverb. Thus to convey a moral is the aim of most fables, and the tale is the vehicle by which this is done, providing both an illustration of and compelling argument for the moral.As a specific development in form and content of the animal tale, the fable is comparatively sophisticated and does not originate as a folktale, though it may make use of folk material, and once composed may be absorbed into a culture and exchanged as traditional oral folklore.
The oldest known fables are either Aesopic (Greek) in origin, or from Asian (Indian and/or possibly Semitic) roots — both dating back several centuries B.C.E.
Example: ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’ by Aesop
A Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing: “Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race.” The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her fatigue.
Slow but steady wins the race.
Ancient Chinese Fables
Source: http://www.chinavista.com/experience/fable/fable.html
Note: This post is just an add-on to my information on the origins of fables from different countries, not in continuation with my current FYP progress.
A fable is “a short story devised to convey some useful lesson, an apologue“. A distinctive feature of the fable is that it contains a moral truth.
Some Chinese fables concentrate on a certain period in the development of Chinese fables while others cover almost the entire history of Chinese literature up to the Qing Dynasty. Fables have served to enrich the Chinese language and the morals of these tales have found their way into the language and are still in use up to this day.
Examples of Chinese fables: [Source: http://www.chinavista.com/experience/fable/fable1.html]
 |
 |
The Frog in the Shallow WellHave you not heard of the frog that lived in a shallow well? It said to a turtle that lived in the East Sea, “I am so happy! When I go out, I jump about on the railing beside the mouth of the well. When I come home,I rest in the holes on the broken wall of the well. If I jump into the water, it comes up to my armpits and holds up my cheeks. If I walk in the mud, it covers up my feet. I look around at the wriggly worms, crabs and tadpoles, and none of them can compare with me. Moreover, I am lord of this trough of water and I stand up tall in this shallow well. My happiness is full. My dear sir, why don’t you come often and look around my place?”
Before the turtle from the East Sea could get its left foot in the well, its right knee got stuck. It hesitated and retreated. The turtle told the frog about the East Sea. “Even a distance of a thousand li cannot give you an idea of the sea’s width; even a height of a thousand ren cannot give you an idea of its depth. In the time of King Yu of the Xia dynasty, there were floods nine years out of ten, but the waters in the sea did not increase. ln the time of King Tang of the Shang dynasty there were droughts seven years out of eight, but the waters in the sea did not decrease. The sea does not change along with the passage of time and its level does not rise or fall according to the amount of rain that falls. The greatest happiness is to live in the East Sea.” After listening to these words, the frog of the shallow well was shocked into realization of his own insignificance and became very ill at ease. li: a Chinese unit of length equal to half a kimometre. |
 |
|
Aping a BeautyXi Shi, a famous beauty, had a pain in her bosom, so she had a frown on her face when she went out. An ugly girl who lived nearby saw her and thought she looked very beautiful. Therefore when she went home, she also put her hands on her bosom and had a frown on her face.
When a rich man in the neighbourhood saw her, he shut his doors tightly and did not go out. When a poor man saw her, he took his wife and children and gave her a wide berth. She only knew Xi Shi’s frown looked beautiful but she did not know the reason for its beauty. |
 |
|
His Spear Against His ShieldA man of the state of Chu had a spear and a shield for sale. He was loud in praises of his shield.
“My shield is so strong that nothing can pierce it through.” He also sang praises of his spear. “My spear is so strong that it can pierce through anything.” “What would happen,” he was asked, “if your spear is used to pierce your shield?” It is impossible for an impenetrable shield to coexist with a spear that finds nothing impenetrable. |
 |
|
Making His MarkA man from the state of Chu was crossing a river. In the boat, his sword fell into the water. Immediately he made a mark on the boat.
“This is where my sword fell off,” he said. When the boat stopped moving, he went into the water to look for his sword at the place where he had marked the boat. The boat had moved but the sword had not. Is this not a very foolish way to look for a sword? |
 |
|
Ostrich LogicAt the time when Fan, a nobleman of the state of Jin, became a fugitive, a commoner found a bell and wanted to carry it off on his back. But the bell was too big for him. When he tried to knock it into pieces with a hammer there was a loud clanging sound. He was afraid that someone will hear the noise and take the bell from him, so he immediately stopped his own ears.
To worry about other people hearing the noise is understandable, but to worry about himself hearing the noise (as if stopping his own ears would prevent other people from hearing) is absurd. |
 |
|
Blessing or BaneNear China’s northern borders lived a man well versed in the practices of Taoism. His horse, for no reason at all, got into the territory of the northern tribes. Everyone commiserated with him.
“Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing,” said his father. After a few months, his animal came back, leading a fine horse from the north. Everyone congratulated him. “Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a cause of misfortune,” said his father. Since he was well-off and kept good horses his son became fond of riding and eventually broke his thigh bone falling from a horse. Everyone commiserated with him. “Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing,” said his father. One year later, the northern tribes started a big invasion of the border regions. All able-bodied young men took up arms and fought against the invaders, and as a result, around the border nine out of ten men died. This man’s son did not join in the fighting because he was crippled and so both the boy and his father survived. |
The Fox and the Grapes
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fox_and_the_Grapes
The Fox and the Grapes is a fable attributed to Aesop. It is one of a number which feature only a single animal protagonist. (Other examples include The Cock and the Jewel.) A fox, upon failing to find a way to reach grapes hanging high up on a vine, retreated and said: “The grapes are sour anyway!”
Frank Tashlin adapted the tale into a 1941 Color Rhapsodies short for Screen Gems/Columbia Pictures. The Fox and the Grapes marked the first appearance of Screen Gems’ most popular characters, The Fox and the Crow. The Electric Company adapted the fable as one of the “Very Short Book” series; in only a few pages and words it sums up the fable exactly as written, with the fox saying “I’ll bet they’re sour!”
The fable illustrates the concept of cognitive dissonance, which occurs when a person tries to hold incompatible ideas simultaneously. Dissonance is reduced by altering one of the belief or desire states, even if it leads to irrational behavior.[1]
Sour grapes
The English idiom “sour grapes” – derived from this fable – refers to:
- the false denial of desire for something sought but not acquired
- the denigration and feigning of disdain for that which one could not attain
The phrase is sometimes also used to refer to one expressing, in an unsportsmanlike or ungracious way, anger or frustration at having failed to acquire something (i.e. being a “sore loser“), regardless of whether the party denies their desire for the item. Not including the denial of desire is technically a slipshod extension of the metaphor because it is inconsistent with the phrase’s origin in the fable and the notion of the grapes being declared “sour”. [2]
Similar expressions exist in other languages; for example, the Persian expression: “The cat who cannot reach the meat says it stinks!” The expression is present in the Scandinavian countries also, where the sour grapes have been replaced with sour rowanberries since grapes are not common in northern latitudes. In psychology, this behavior is known as rationalization. It may also be called reduction of cognitive dissonance.
Unripe versus sour
The moral of the fable centers on the qualification by the fox, when he finds his desire unattainable. The word “sour” was probably chosen by the translators in Western Europe writing during the Victorian era. Study of older versions of the fable suggest that “unripe” might be a more literal translation, the idea being that the fox would come back later to try in earnest. The word “unripe” may have been replaced with “sour” by the fable’s Victorian translators since the word “unripe”, in Victorian society, might have been interpreted as an innuendo suggesting an as-yet unripe woman.
Another view is that “sour grapes” is brief and concrete, as compared with “unripe grapes”.
In the original Greek, the phrase is “όμφακες εισίν” (omphakes eisin), the word omphax having both the literal meaning of an unripe grape and the metaphorical usage of someone too young.
Source: http://www.sgbox.com/aesopfables15.html
It was a very hot and sunny afternoon. A fox, which had been hunting the whole day, was very thirsty.
“How I wish there was some water,” the fox thought to himself.
Just then, he saw bunches of fat and juicy grapes hanging from a vine above his head. The grapes looked ripe and ready to burst with juice.
“Oh, my! Oh, my!” the fox said as his mouth began to water. “Sweet grape juice, quench my thirst!”
The fox stood on tiptoe and stretched as high as he could, but the grapes were out of his reach.
Not about to give up, the fox walked back a short distance and took a running leap at the grapes. Again, he could not reach the grapes.
Still not ready to give up, the fox walked back further and took another running leap at the grapes. Again, he could not reach the grapes.
The fox jumped and leapt, again and again, but each time he could not reach the grapes. Until, at last, the fox was tired and thirstier than ever.
“What a fool I am!” said the fox furiously. “These grapes are sour and not fit for eating. Why would I want them anyway?”
With that, the fox walked away.
Some people despise and belittle the things they cannot have.
Other possible readings:
It is easy to scorn what you cannot get.
Just because something is out of reach doesn’t mean its bad.
Source: http://www.lefavole.org/en/alla_volpe.htm
“TO THE FOX”
Gianni Rodari’s fable
This is that arbour
And those are the grapes
That the Fox of the fable
Thought too sour to take
But they were too high
For him to get.
Jump one
Jump twice.
If you don’t get there
Tomorrow morning try
You’ll see that each day
The sweet fruit gets nearer;
‘Cause, remember just this
Training is all.
(Gianni Rodari)
THINK IT OVER: Gianni Rodari’s fable “To the fox”
This fable in verse by Rodari refers to Phaedrus’ most famous fable about the fox who uselessly tries to get the grapes of an arbour and, defeated, goes away despising the elusive bunch. Rodari replaces the tradition’s renunciatory fox with the bravest and firmest one, a fox who does not give up his purpose and sooner or later will be able to reach his aim.
Source: http://www.lefavole.org/en/volpe_uva.htm
“THE FOX AND THE GRAPES”
Jean de La Fontaine’s fable
A fox, from Gascogne or from Normandy,
we don’t know,
almost dying with hunger, going around
saw a vine-branch with grapes on
so beautiful and ripe to all appearances,
that he thought of reaching and eating them.
But after uselessly jumping and jumping
As the vine was too high for him to reach
He had a second thought,
“They’re sour, I can see it,
These grapes are good just for loirs and squirrels!”
I leave for you what I can’t have.
(Jean de La Fontaine)
Fable story selection
After consulting some children’s fable books in the library, I have compiled a list of fable stories. I organised them according to the category of the moral behind the story, for example moral about Self, Life and Friends. I also made a list of the animals and the number of times that they appear in the fables (appearance in 1 story is counted as once), and this is my list of the most common animals I found in fables:
1. Fox
2. Crow
3. Lion
4. Dog
5. Eagle/Hawk/Kite
6. Mouse
My concept for now is to develop on these most common animals as the “main characters” in my Fable story series. Hence, I will start working on stories that have these animals appearing in them to try to find a special angle, a new angle to tell the same story.
