Broken Friendships and Lessons of the Wild: Traditional Animal Fables

Ascending a lofty palm-tree, the Tortoise did suffer a calamitous fall, whereby his carapace was grievously shattered.

“Pray, extend thine assistance to me in the reassembly of my fractured shell,” he entreated of the sundry creatures that chanced to pass, yet none offered succour, save only the Pig.

“I offer thee mine unfeigned gratitude!” quoth the Tortoise to the Pig. “I pledge to thee a recompense for thine benevolence.”

When the Pig did present himself to claim his promised reward, the Tortoise absconded, feigning to be the self-same grinding-stone upon which Mrs. Tortoise was engaged in the trituration of grain.

The Pig, incensed by this deceit, did cast the presumed grinding-stone into the adjacent woodlands.

Upon the Pig's subsequent return, the Tortoise declared, “Verily, that self-same grinding-stone thou didst fling into the woods constitutes thy reward; proceed thither and retrieve it!”

And thus it remains that the Pig doth persist in his diligent excavations, yet to discover the elusive grinding-stone.

The Jackal, with an audacity most singular, ascended to a cloud positioned high in the celestial sphere, and did partake of it with considerable relish, finding it, indeed, to be of a palatable nature.

'I am now in the process of descending!' he vociferated to the Hyena below. 'Pray, be so kind as to receive me in your grasp! I shall, in due course, reciprocate the favour.'

The Hyena, complying with the Jackal's solicitation, did duly catch him. Subsequently, the Hyena herself ascended to the cloud, where she sated her appetite to the fullest extent.

'I am now about to make my descent,' she proclaimed to the Jackal. 'Be prepared, I entreat you, to catch me!'

The Jackal, extending his forepaws with the ostensible intent of providing a soft landing, did then, with a suddenness that bespoke pre-meditation, leap aside.

'Alas, a most grievous misfortune! A thorn has pierced my paw! I am exceedingly regretful! It was entirely beyond my power to prevent such an occurrence!'

The Hyena, deprived of the anticipated support, crashed violently to the terra firma, sustaining injuries of a severe nature.

And thus it remains to this very day, that the Hyena possesses a distinct limp, a perpetual reminder of the unfortunate incident of her precipitous fall.

The Elephant and Rhinoceros engaged in a most vigorous altercation, from which the Elephant emerged victorious. “I shall remove myself to a considerable distance,” declared the Rhinoceros, whereupon he absented himself to dwell in a separate forest.

Subsequently, the Elephant's offspring became separated from its parent. Perceiving the Rhinoceros's excrement upon the terra firma, and noting its resemblance to that of her maternal progenitor, the young Elephant pursued the spoor to the aforementioned forest.

Upon the Elephant's eventual discovery of her errant progeny, she was seized with a fit of considerable pique. She once more engaged the Rhinoceros in combat, and did, again, prevail.

“Hark, Rhinoceros!” she exclaimed. “Henceforth, thou shalt disseminate thy dung in a scattered fashion, lest thou inadvertently misguide my offspring in perpetuity.”

Thus, it is accounted that the Rhinoceros doth habitually scatter its dung.

Upon a certain day, the diminutive Frog and the diminutive Serpent did partake in amicable recreation together.

Subsequently, they did each repair to their respective abodes.

'Pray, with whom wert thou engaged in play?' inquired the Frog's maternal parent.

'With the Serpent,' he did respond.

'They are individuals of ill repute!' exclaimed his mother. 'They possess venomous attributes. Thou shalt not, under any circumstance, engage in recreation with the Serpent again!'

When the Serpent communicated to his mother his state of hunger, she vociferated, ''Tis thine own culpability! Subsequent to thy dalliance with the Frog, thou needst but dispatch him and consume him.'

On the subsequent day, the Serpent betook himself to the Frog with the intent of engaging in recreation.

'I am no longer at liberty to play with thee,' declared the Frog.

'Ah, thou hast conferred with thy mother,' remarked the Serpent. 'As have I with mine.'

And thus, the Serpent and the Frog did never again engage in amicable recreation together.

It was once the case that Fish dwelt upon the land, maintaining a cordial acquaintance with Leopard.

Subsequently, Fish developed an amorous inclination towards Leopard's consort.

Upon discovering this indiscretion, Leopard was incensed; however, mindful of their prior friendship, he elected not to execute Fish, but rather conveyed him before the King.

Fish offered no exculpation.

The King pronounced, 'Fish hath betrayed his friend, thereby rendering his transgression all the more grievous. I decree that Fish shall henceforth reside perpetually within the aquatic realm.

He shall be prohibited from terrestrial existence. Furthermore, both humankind and beast shall be at liberty to capture and slay Fish within the waters. Such is the chastisement meted out to Fish for his reprehensible conduct.'