Summarizing of Fables
Two fairy tales were chosen for this paper, one of which is The Sheep & the Pig, and the other is The Lion & the Ass. Comparing two works of fiction is important to evaluate how effectively they teach (Sharaffitdinov and Yusupov, 2022). In this case, we can observe two different approaches with different moral lessons. The first story tells how a shepherd finds a pig in his sheep pen and decides to catch it to take to the butcher. At the same time, the process is described in sufficient detail so that the reader pays attention to how the piglet tried to dodge and escape and desperately resisted. However, this did not work, and he was still caught, although he did not stop squeaking. The sheep were very surprised by this behavior of the pig because they did not understand that bad things could happen. They were surprised because they did not understand that the piglet was caught not to be cut like theirs but to be killed. The moral of this story is that it is easy to be brave when your life is not in danger.
The second tale is about how the lion walked through the forest, and all the animals bowed to him. However, later, he met a donkey on the way, who not only did not bow but also said something offensive in the direction of the lion (The Æsop for Children, n.d.). This made him very angry, and he already wanted to punish the impudent animal; however, he passed by when he saw that it was a donkey. The lion did so because he considered it beneath his dignity to waste time and effort on a stupid donkey. The moral in this case is that you should ignore fools.
Comparing
The two stories are entirely different in their essence and narrative. Comparing these stories, they carry entirely different meanings and values. The first, about sheep and a pig, reveals the internal attitude of sheep to the outside world and shows their feigned calmness in contrast to the loudly screaming pig. At the same time, the pig understands why they behave this way because nothing threatens them, they are just sheared. The main characters of the second fairy tale manifest themselves in a completely different way, they both understand everything that happens in their world. The donkey, for some reason, does not like the lion, and he knows that the donkey is not worth his attention. This is a distinguishing feature of the two stories because, in the first, the sheep seem to be left out of the story, and the pig takes all the central place. At the same time, in the second tale, attention is paid to both characters.
Identifying More Effective Fable
Both stories have a moral meaning, and each is different, but the most effective is the fairy tale about the pig and the sheep. This can be argued because, in it, the story is more exciting and presents information to the reader, gradually leading to the finale. The ending of the story, although generally apparent, still conveys a sense of surprise because the reader cannot predict what the sheep and pig might be talking about at that moment. In addition, the moral of this story is revealed only at the very end, thus leaving an intriguing narrative as one tries to guess what should happen next.
The story about the lion and the donkey is much shorter and, unlike the first tale, does not bring any sense of surprise. This is partly due to the length of the work, but other than that, the moral itself is obvious, transparent, and predictable. In this regard, reading a fairy tale about a pig and sheep is more interesting. In addition, her morality is universal and, therefore, more effective.
Analysis of the More Effective Fable
The first-mentioned fairy tale is more effective in terms of conveying its morals and truth to the reader. This is because there is a slight surprise effect that makes the reader think more. This happens when the pig says, “When he catches you, he is only after your wool. But he wants my bacon” (The Æsop for Children, (n.d.). Thus, it directly compares two different animals’ attitudes in stressful situations. It is not catastrophic because it does not hurt them, and besides, they extrapolate it to the pig as well. This can be seen when they say, “What makes you squeal like that?” (The Æsop for Children, n.d.). This line reveals the selfish composition of the sheep, who cannot understand how a pig feels because they themselves have never been in such a situation. Morality is relevant to modern society because many people do not realize what position the mentor is in. At the same time, the second story is shorter and also less informative since there is a clear understanding that fools should not be paid attention to. In this regard, the first story looks more advantageous.
Reference List
Sharaffitdinov, A., and U. Yusupov. “The opportunities of educating morality for children through samples of folklore.” Eurasian Scientific Herald 5 (2022): 65-68. Web.
The Æsop for Children. The Lion & the Ass. (n.d.). Web.
The Æsop for Children. The Sheep & the Pig. (n.d.). Web.