FABLE

From Agepedia

FABLE, which, in its most extensive sense, is synonymous with fictitious narration, has, in poetry, a double signification, since it expresses, in dramatic and epic poetry, the tissue, the arrangement of the events related, and is also the name of a particular class of poetical writings. When we speak of the fable of an epic or dramatic poem, it is used in opposition to history. The poet's description aims at beauty, his piece must please as a whole, and the occurrences must be so arranged and exhibited as to accomplish this end. He paints not the real, but the possible; not things as they are, but as they might well be; not with historic truth, but according to the laws of poetical probability. The fable, as a particular kind of poetry, sometimes called apologue, is justly considered a species of didactic composition, and is a kind of allegory. It may be described as a method of inculcating practical rules of worldly prudence or wisdom, by imaginary representations drawn from the physical or external world. It consists, properly, of two parts: the symbolical representation, and the application, or the instruction intended to be deduced from it, which latter is called the moral of the tale, and must be apparent in the fable itself, in order to render it poetical. On account of its aim, it lies upon the borders of poetry and prose ; is rarely in true poetic spirit, and pleases independently of its obj ect. The satisfaction which we derive from fables does not lie wholly in the pleasure that we receive from the symbolical representation, but lies deeper, in the feeling that the order of nature is the same in the spiritual and the material worlds. In the material world, the eternal forms of laws and qualities are more uniform and perceptible, than in the moral world, and, for this reason, the fabulist (whose object is not merely to render a truth perceptible by means of a fictitious action, for a parable would do this) chooses his characters from the brute creation. Herder, in his Scattered Leaves (Zerstreuten Bldttern), 3d vol., is verji full on this subject. He divides fables into 1. Theoretic, intended to form the understanding ; thus a phenomenon of nature, as illustrative of the laws of the universe, is used to exercise the understanding. For example, when the dog, with a mouthful, snaps at a shadow in the water; when the sheep contends with the wolf, or the hare hunts with the lion.2. Moral, which contain rules for the regulation of the will. We do not learn morality from the brutes, but view the great family of nature, and observe that she has connected the happiness of all living creatures with the unchangeable, eternal law of effort, and take example from the observance of this law by the lower orders of creation; as, for example, " Go to the ant, thou sluggard!" 3. Fables of fate or destiny. It cannot always be made evident how one thing follows as a necessary consequence from another; here, then, comes in play that connexion of events which we call fate, or chance, and which shows that things follow, at least after, if not from one another, by an order from above. Thus the eagle carries, with her plunder, a coal from the altar, which sets fire to her nest, and thus her unfledged brood becomes the prey of animals which she has already robbed of their young. The plan of the fables is regulated by this threefold division of the subject and character. In general, it must possess unity, that the whole tenor of it maybe easily seen ; and dignity, since the subject has a certain degree of importance. But this does not exclude gayety nor satire. Some fables are founded upon irony; some :jre pathetic ; and some even aspire to the sublime. The writers of ancient fables were simple, calm, and earnest. The oldest fables are supposed to be the Oriental; among these, the Indian fables of Pilpay (Billpai or Bilpai), and the fables of the Arabian Lock man, are celebrated. (Sen. those articles.) iEsop is well known among the Greeks, and was imitated by Phaedrus among the Latin writers. Bodmer has published German fables of the time of the Minnesinger, Boner, who lived at the close of the 14th century, shows, in his Eddstein, that he possessed the true spirit of FABLE. The author of Reynard the Fox wrote a collection of serious fables. Burkard Waldis may be mentioned, in the 16th century. In the 17th, Gay among the English, and La Fontaine among the French, were distinguished. The writer last named made fable the vehicle of wit, and spoke the language of society. Lessing, Pfeffel, and others, united fable and satire in the sharp point of their epigram. Fables may have the form of narrative or dialogue.