WRITING A FABLE
According to Kennedy and Gioia, FABLE is a brief story that sets forth some pointed statement of truth. Though not so common in these modern times, the ancient world boast of great fable writers, some of who spontaneously created their stories to pass across valid point, and others who simply did a retelling of folk tales passed on from one generation to another, by the words of mouth.
Though there are few similar elements in novel and short story, and fables. They are however not the same.
(i) A fable is a brief story with little description or analysis of characters or location
(ii) In fable the message the story carries is the priority. If there’s any description, it should be to emphasise the message for easier understanding by readers
(iii) Sometimes, the message of the story could be stated at the end of the story, or left for the readers to brainstorm
(iv) The characters in a fable could range from a talking animal, inanimate objects, supernatural being, or man
(v) Fable is different from a novel or short story not mainly because of length, but rather because of the absence of elaborate descriptions of characters, locations, items.
Below are fables written by me to facilitate your better understanding of the concept:
Golgotha
Finally, sick old Max slumped, and soon woke up in Golgotha; the place of skulls. He was shocked to find himself in such strange location, with a skull lying beside him. In fear, he brushed away the skull and quickly got on his feet.
As he took in the large empty expanse, he spotted a golden castle, up on a hill. So he made for it. He went on all four, so he would be able to climb the hill with less difficulty. With every ascension, he felt like his weight increased. At this point old Max thought to himself: “if I do away, with one of my members, I’m certain that this weight will be eased. Should it be my legs? Or my hands?” He contemplated, looking at both hands. In desperation he concluded, “away with you skull, my hand and leg help me in climbing”. Then, he reached for his head, pulled it off his neck and threw it away.
Immediately, he dropped like a piece of cloth and went crashing down the hills.
TO GET AHEAD, GET A HEAD
Mr Udo and the Dog
Sometime ago, in the rural community of Okhuesan, there was a man who lived deep in the woods, away from everybody else. Oftentimes, he would say to himself; ” I am Udo, jack of all trade and master of all, I’m sufficient ”
In the morning of one fateful day, he heads out to his farm, walking briskly and not willing to mind anything but work. From the bushes that border the pathway, he heard the painful yelp of a dog, but was reluctant to check, and still hurried on. The cry came again with a plea for help this time, “please, help me, don’t let me die”. That’s when Mr Udo approached the dog and released it from a trap. He almost stood up to continue on his way, but his sympathy for the dog held him back, to stay and clean up the dog’s wound.
That day Mr Udo, arrived at his farm later than usual and could work only a little portion of his farm before it started raining. He waited at his farm house for the rain to subside, but it graduated into a storm and only stopped at about past eight, in the evening. Mr Udo was so angry, that his farm work had to suffer ,”because of my foolish sympathy”, he pointed. He went home feeling sorely disappointed.
With so much difficulty after waddling through the flood of waters, he arrived within his residence, there he noticed that every structure had given way to the flood. Mr Udo feared for his home, he dropped his farming tools and quickly ran to check if there’s anything he could salvage from the ruins. To his surprise, his shack is still standing, defiling the flood thanks to the dog, who because of Mr Udo’s love have become a loyal friend
RELATIONSHIP, LOVE IS WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT
Dreams
And so it is in those days, when I was up in that glowy structure the people of the earth call ‘Heaven’, when my time hasn’t started ticking.
I remember how excited we were about visiting the earth and the rituals performed before our travels.
The sound of the horns that announced my turn to make a journey to Earth, is yet fresh in my memory. In obedience, I quickly reported at the travel terminal, where this plain receptionist ordered me to step into the ‘futurengine’. There, I dreamed of the similitude of which creature I’m to take on Earth. In about three seconds the engine had finished reading my dream, so it could be weighed. The receptionist looked into the screen, that’s almost covered with the creature from my dream and voiced; “hmm, an elephant, that should cost you 2000 beats (currency)”. I stood transfixed for minutes. Whether it’s the cost or the receptionist impatient eyes, I can’t tell.
“You don’t know? The bigger the dream, the bigger the price”, he retorted.
THE BIGGER THE DREAM, THE BIGGER THE PRICE
Tags: Fables Literature writing