Twenty Fables in Search of a Moral: 13-15

Fable Thirteen:  The mouse and the cup

Young mouse was surprised to find a large, gangly boy at the door of the castle.  He seemed . . . slow, and his speech was hesitant and awkward.  Still, she invited him in with as much grace as she could muster, sat a lovely table for him with cakes and fruit and a good old cheese she had been saving for company.  He ate without talking.  He ate steadily, and when he was finished he said, “I’m thirsty.”  His eye fell on the silver goblet with the green stone. 

“That is not for you,” she said, with great dignity.  Still, he got up and walked toward the cup.  “It is not for you,” shouted the mouse.  He lifted the cup and drank deeply and then set the cup carefully back in its place.  Mouse cried out in anguish, but then stopped as the ugly boy slowly transformed into a handsome grey mouse.  He leapt up to the table and ran toward her, jumping into the air now and then with small happy noises.  When he reached her he pirouetted several times before touching her nose gently.

“I’m Derek,” he said.  “I’ve come to stay in the castle.”

Fable Fourteen:  Hamelin, revisited

The nursing home had an infestation of mice.  At the end of third shift Tuesday morning there had been no mice.  By 3pm that same day mice were everywhere—running down the halls, jumping out of empty pots in the kitchen, hanging from the dust encrusted artificial plants over the windows next to the front door.  The head social worker, Bruce, called the owner to let him know.  The owner didn’t want to know.  Bruce then called pest control, but they could only take care of insects.  One yellow-pages ad was promising: “We’ll take care of your mice.”  Bruce called and the Piper brothers came out immediately.  By the beginning of third shift at 11pm, the police had the nursing home surrounded and helicopters were thick overhead.  Bruce told reporters, “It was like the old people just disappeared or something!” 

Artwork by SK Dapoz

Fable Fifteen:  Beloved           

The prince carried his beautiful young princess away on a large stallion.  They spoke not a word as the miles flew by.  Finally she said, “Where are you taking me?”  “To your true home,” he answered.  She thought of her daughters, and was glad she had taught them self-reliance.  She wondered what her true home would look like, and if the water there was sweet.  Nestled in her beloved’s arm, she spoke to him of small things: of mice and sweet water; rabbits and children.  He reminded her of their days together under the tree of life, where wondrous words were spoken and promises made.  She was happy the ride was long and the path smooth and accommodating.