Reading Notes: Aesop's Fables (Jacobs), Part A

The Lion and the Statue

I enjoyed this story because the last line is "We can easily represent things as we wish them to be". I think it'd be really interesting to write a story revolving around this sentence, like adding a plot twist and realizing the main character was so desperate to imagine something that he ended up distorting reality and his desires.

The Four Oxen and the Lion

The last sentence for this is "United we stand, divided we fall". It describes the story very well; the lion attempts to kill the four oxen but fails when they are together. However, whenever they are apart, they are all killed. It shows vulnerability and how dangerous it can be sometimes. The quote I spoke of earlier reminds me of heroes coming together in a moment of crisis. I think I could possibly apply the strength tarot card to this image for a story.

The Fox and The Crane

The conflict between the fox and the crane is amusing. They keep inviting each other over for dinner, but mess with each other by making the food accessible. It's kind of a "ha ha" moment in each story, but it ends with "there are games that two can play at". It reminds me of tricksters (kind of like the fool arcana, but I already used that). I could write a plot that revolves around a game of cat and mouse.

The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

I always liked this theme! It discusses how appearances are deceptive and I have actually written about that occasionally with my own character. Like with the last story, this could possibly fit in with undercover spies. In a show I watched, the spies were trained to become anyone they wanted to be in order to get information. It would be a good story to write about a spy that ends up tricking someone for their mission. I think the magician tarot can be used for this!

The One-Eyed Doe

The doe constantly tries to escape her death with extreme caution, but even in the end, she was killed by the hunters. No matter what she did, she still could not run. This story revolves around fate and how one cannot escape from it. I think the concept of a seeress is really interesting and I have actually never written about it, so I think this would be a really good opportunity. The high priestess would tie in with this!

Wolf. Source.

Bibliography: Aesop's Fables by Joseph Jacobs