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4. Of Fables and Children
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40 • Life Lessons through Storytelling 4. Of Fables and Children A long time ago, a lion, a wolf, a jackal, and a fox agreed that they would all go hunting together. And they also agreed that if one of them went out and caught something, they would share it with all others. Well one day the wolf was out and he ran down a great stag. Well he remembered his promise and he called out to his other friends. Well, they all arrived and the lion, he sat himself right at the head of the stag and with a great show, he began to count to see who the guests would be. And he held up a paw and he said, “Hmm, there’s one—that’s me, the lion. And then there’s two—that’s the wolf. And three is the jackal and four—that’s the fox.” And he cut the stag into four equal pieces and then he glared at the group and he said, “I am King Lion so I get the first portion.” And then he said, “And because I am the strongest, I take this portion too. And because I am the bravest, I get this portion.” And then he opened his eyes even wider and he held up his claws and he looked at the other animals and he said, “Is there one among you who wishes to lay claim to this last portion?” Aesop’s fables have been read by children and adults for many centuries . Aesop was once a slave, and it is believed that his cunning and wisdom helped him to gain his freedom from Iadmon, his owner in Greece. Even though Aesop did not actually tell all the fables attributed to him, it is not surprising that the oldest surviving editions of these fables emphasize themes of power, injustice, and respect for all. But have these themes survived over the centuries? As we saw in chapter 2, Aesop’s fables have been revised and modified over the centuries . Yet few people have studied how these early themes of power and injustice have been affected over the years. We know even less about children’s interpretations of these fables and whether children are affected by changes in the tone or concluding moral of a fable. When I began this project, I looked first at contemporary versions of these fables. I knew they had been modified over the years, but it was not until I compared classical and other early versions with these contemporary ones that I realized how many important aspects had been omitted, especially those related to themes of power and injustice. Although some might argue that these themes are too adult40 Of Fables and Children • 41 like for children, many cultures believe that children benefit from being exposed to a wide range of social and ethical issues through storytelling. Also, since children see many forms of social ranking in classrooms and through media, it is important to provide them with opportunities to explore issues of power and respect along with other social concerns in a process-oriented approach to teaching ethics. In the popular fable “The Lion’s Share,” quoted below in its classical version, we see a focus on size and power along with a strong ironic tone. (See appendix C for a list of all the classical and contemporary editions used in the study.) The lion as the most powerful animal takes all the prey despite an initial “partnership.”1 A wild ass and a lion were partners in the hunt. The lion excelled in valour, the ass in swiftness of foot. When they had made a large killing of animals the lion divided the booty and laid it out in three portions. “Now this first portion,” said he, “I shall take myself, because I am king; and I shall take the second one also, as being partner with you on equal terms. As for this third portion, it will make trouble for you, unless you are willing to run away.” Measure yourself: don’t get involved in any business or partnership with a man who is more powerful than yourself. In this fable, the lion abuses his greater power and size. Although the last paragraph is not labeled as a moral, it has a moralistic tone and points to the importance of avoiding more powerful partners, since they cannot be trusted. The ironic tone of this tale implies a judgment of...