Fable Example

A fox And A Goat

Once a fox was roaming around in the dark. Unfortunately, he fell into a well. He tried his level
best to come out but all in vain. So, he had no other alternative but to remain there till the next
morning.
The next day, a goat came that way. She peeped into the well and saw the fox there. The goat
asked what are you doing there, Mr. Fox? The sly fox replied, I came here to drink water. It is
the best I have ever tasted. Come and see for yourself. Without thinking even for a while, the
goat jumped into the well, quenched her thirst and looked for a way to get out. But just like the
fox, she also found herself helpless to come out.
Then the fox said, I have an idea. You stand on your hind legs. Ill climb on your head and get
out. Then I shall help you come out too. The goat was innocent enough to understand the
shrewdness of the fox and did as the fox said and helped him get out of the well.
While walking away, the fox said, Had you been intelligent enough, you would never have got
in without seeing how to get out.
Moral: Look before you leap. Do not just blindly walk in to anything without
thinking.

A Lion

Once upon a time there was a lion that grew so old that he was unable to kill any prey for his
food. So, he said to himself, I must do something to stay my stomach else I will die of starvation.
He kept thinking and thinking and at last an idea clicked him. He decided to lie down in the cave
pretending to be ill and then who-so-ever will come to inquire about his health, will become his
prey. The old lion put his wicked plan into practice and it started working. Many of his wellwishers got killed. But evil is short lived.
One day, a fox came to visit the ailing lion. As foxes are clever by nature, the fox stood at the
mouth of the cave and looked about. His sixth sense worked and he came to know the reality. So,
he called out to the lion from outside and said, How are you, sir?
The lion replied, I am not feeling well at all. But why dont you come inside?
Then the fox replied, I would love to come in, sir! But on seeing, all foot prints going to your
cave and none coming out, I would be foolish enough to come in.

Saying so, the fox went to alert the other animals.

Moral: Always Keep Your Eyes Open and Stay Alert before Walking in Any Situation.

The Monkey and The Crocodile

Once upon a time, a clever monkey lived in a tree that bore juicy, red rose apples. He was very
happy. One fine day, a crocodile swam up to that tree and told the monkey that he had traveled a
long distance and was in search of food as he was very hungry. The kind monkey offered him a
few rose apples. The crocodile enjoyed them very much and asked the monkey whether he could
come again for some more fruit. The generous monkey happily agreed.
The crocodile returned the next day. And the next. And the next one after that. Soon the two
became very good friends. They discussed their lives, their friends and family, like all friends do.
The crocodile told the monkey that he had a wife and that they lived on the other side of the
river. So the kind monkey offered him some extra rose apples to take home to his wife. The
crocodiles wife loved the rose apples and made her husband promise to get her some every day.
Meanwhile, the friendship between the monkey and the crocodile deepened as they spent more
and more time together. The crocodiles wife started getting jealous. She wanted to put an end to
this friendship. So she pretended that she could not believe that her husband could be friends
with a monkey. Her husband tried to convince her that he and the monkey shared a true
friendship. The crocodiles wife thought to herself that if the monkey lived on a diet of rose
monkeys, his flesh would be very sweet. So she asked the crocodile to invite the monkey to their
house.
The crocodile was not happy about this. He tried to make the excuse that it would be difficult to
get the monkey across the river. But his wife was determined to eat the monkeys flesh. So she
thought of a plan. One day, she pretended to be very ill and told the crocodile that the doctor said
that she would only recover if she ate a monkeys heart. If her husband wanted to save her life,
he must bring her his friends heart.
The crocodile was aghast. He was in a dilemma. On the one hand, he loved his friend. On the
other, he could not possibly let his wife die. The crocodiles wife threatened him saying that if he
did not get her the monkeys heart, she would surely die.
So the crocodile went to the rose apple tree and invited the monkey to come home to meet his
wife. He told the monkey that he could ride across the river on the crocodiles back. The monkey
happily agreed. As they reached the middle of the river, the crocodile began to sink. The
frightened monkey asked him why he was doing that. The crocodile explained that he would
have to kill the monkey to save his wifes life. The clever monkey told him that he would gladly
give up his heart to save the life of the crocodiles wife, but he had left his heart behind in the

rose apple tree. He asked the crocodile to make haste and turn back so that the monkey could go
get his heart from the apple tree.
The silly crocodile quickly swam back to the rose apple tree. The monkey scampered up the tree
to safety. He told the crocodile to tell his wicked wife that she had married the biggest fool in the
world.
Moral: Dont underestimate yourself. There are bigger fools in this world.

Unity is Strength
Once upon a time, there was a flock of doves that flew in search of food led by their king. One
day, they had flown a long distance and were very tired. The dove king encouraged them to fly a
little further. The smallest dove picked up speed and found some rice scattered beneath a banyan
tree. So all the doves landed and began to eat.
Suddenly a net fell over them and they were all trapped. They saw a hunter approaching carrying
a huge club. The doves desperately fluttered their wings trying to get out, but to no avail. The
king had an idea. He advised all the doves to fly up together carrying the net with them. He said
that there was strength in unity.
Each dove picked up a portion of the net and together they flew off carrying the net with them.
The hunter looked up in astonishment. He tried to follow them, but they were flying high over
hills and valleys. They flew to a hill near a city of temples where there lived a mouse who could
help them. He was a faithful friend of the dove king.
When the mouse heard the loud noise of their approach, he went into hiding. The dove king
gently called out to him and then the mouse was happy to see him. The dove king explained that
they had been caught in a trap and needed the mouses help to gnaw at the net with his teeth and
set them free.
The mouse agreed saying that he would set the king free first. The king insisted that he first free
his subjects and the king last. The mouse understood the kings feelings and complied with his
wishes. He began to cut the net and one by one all the doves were freed including the dove king.
They all thanked the mouse and flew away together, united in their strength.
Moral: When you work together, you are stronger.

The Little Mouse

Once upon a time there was a Baby Mouse and Mother Mouse. They lived in a hole in the
skirting board in a big, warm house with lots of cheese to eat, where they wanted for nothing.
Then, one day, Mother Mouse decided to take Baby Mouse outside of their home. Waiting
outside for them was a huge ginger tomcat, licking its lips and waiting to eat them both up.
Mother, Mother! What should we do? Cried Baby Mouse, clinging to his mothers tail. Mother
Mouse paused, staring up into the beady eyes of the hungry cat. But she wasnt scared because
she knew exactly how to deal with big, scary cats. She opened her mouth and took in a deep
breath.
Woof! Woof! Bark bark bark! She shouted, and the cat ran away as fast as he could.
Wow, Mother! That was amazing! Baby Mouse said to his mother, smiling happily.
And that, my child, is why it is always best to have a second language.
Moral: Its always good to have a second language.

The Fox and the Grapes

One afternoon a fox was walking through the forest and spotted a bunch of grapes hanging from
over a lofty branch.
Just the thing to quench my thirst, he thought.
Taking a few steps back, the fox jumped and just missed the hanging grapes. Again the fox took
a few paces back and tried to reach them but still failed.
Finally, giving up, the fox turned up his nose and said, Theyre probably sour anyway, and
proceeded to walk away.
Moral: Its easy to despise what you cannot have.

The Rabbit and the Turtle

One day a rabbit was boasting about how fast he could run. He was laughing at the turtle for
being so slow. Much to the rabbits surprise, the turtle challenged him to a race. The rabbit
thought this was a good joke and accepted the challenge. The fox was to be the umpire of the
race. As the race began, the rabbit raced way ahead of the turtle, just like everyone thought.

The rabbit got to the halfway point and could not see the turtle anywhere. He was hot and tired
and decided to stop and take a short nap. Even if the turtle passed him, he would be able to race
to the finish line ahead of him. All this time the turtle kept walking step by step by step. He never
quit no matter how hot or tired he got. He just kept going.
However, the rabbit slept longer than he had thought and woke up. He could not see the turtle
anywhere! He went at full-speed to the finish line but found the turtle there waiting for him.
Moral: never underestimate the weakest opponent.

Lion and His Fear

There was a lion who feared nothing except the crowing of cocks. A chill would go down his
spine whenever he heard a cock crowing. One day he confessed his fear to the elephant, who
was greatly amused.
How can the crowing of a cock hurt you? he asked the lion. Think about it!
Just then a mosquito began circling the elephants head, frightening him out of his wits. If it
gets into my ear Im doomed! he shrieked, flailing at the insect with his trunk. Now it was the
lions turn to feel amused.
Moral: If we could see our fears as others see them we would realize that most of our fears make
no sense!

The Lion and The Mouse

A Mouse running over his face awakened a Lion from sleep. Rising up angrily, he caught him
and was about to kill him. Then the Mouse piteously entreated, saying:
If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness. The Lion laughed at
him but allowed him go. It happened shortly after this that some hunters, who bound him by
strong ropes to the ground, caught the Lion. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came and gnawed
the rope with his teeth, and set him free, exclaiming:
You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, never expecting to receive from me
any repayment of your favor, Now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer
benefits on a Lion.
Moral: It is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion.

Cycle of Evil
There was once a king who was so cruel and unjust that his subjects yearned for his death or
dethronement. However, one day he surprised them all by announcing that he had decided to turn
over a new leaf.
No more cruelty, no more injustice, he promised, and he was as good as his word. He became
known as the Gentle Monarch. Months after his transformation one of his ministers plucked up
enough courage to ask him what had brought about his change of heart.
And the king answered, As I was galloping through my forests I caught sight of a fox being
chased by a hound. The fox escaped into his hole but not before the hound had bitten into its leg
and lamed it for life. Later I rode into a village and saw the same hound there. It was barking at a
man. Even as I watched, the man picked up a huge stone and flung it at the dog, breaking its leg.
The man had not gone far when he was kicked by a horse. His knee was shattered and he fell to
the ground, disabled for life. The horse began to run but it fell into a hole and broke its leg.
Reflecting on all that had happened, I thought: Evil begets evil. If I continue in my evil ways, I
will surely be overtaken by evil. So I decided to change.
The minister went away convinced that the time was ripe to overthrow the king and seize the
throne. Immersed in thought, he did not see the steps in front of him and fell, breaking his neck.
Moral: Cycle of Deeds always gives us back what we give to others. If we do good to others, our
good will happen, If we do bad to others, our turn will also come.