Beast fable
Encyclopedia
The beast fable or beast epic, usually a short story or poem in which animal
s talk, is a traditional form of allegorical writing. It is a type of fable
in which human behaviour and weaknesses are subject to scrutiny by reflection into the animal kingdom.
Important traditions in beast fables are represented by the Panchatantra
and Kalila and Dimna (Sanskrit and Arabic originals), Aesop
(Greek original), One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights) and separate trickster
traditions (West African and Native American). The medieval French Roman de Reynart is called a beast-epic, with the recurring figure Reynard the fox.
Beast fables are typically transmitted freely between languages, and often assume pedagogic roles: for example, Latin versions of Aesop
were standard as elementary textbook material in the European Middle Ages, and the Uncle Remus
stories brought trickster tales into English.
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s talk, is a traditional form of allegorical writing. It is a type of fable
Fable
A fable is a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized , and that illustrates a moral lesson , which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim.A fable differs from...
in which human behaviour and weaknesses are subject to scrutiny by reflection into the animal kingdom.
Important traditions in beast fables are represented by the Panchatantra
Panchatantra
The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian inter-related collection of animal fables in verse and prose, in a frame story format. The original Sanskrit work, which some scholars believe was composed in the 3rd century BCE, is attributed to Vishnu Sharma...
and Kalila and Dimna (Sanskrit and Arabic originals), Aesop
Aesop
Aesop was a Greek writer credited with a number of popular fables. Older spellings of his name have included Esop and Isope. Although his existence remains uncertain and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a...
(Greek original), One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights) and separate trickster
Trickster
In mythology, and in the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who plays tricks or otherwise disobeys normal rules and conventional behavior. It is suggested by Hansen that the term "Trickster" was probably first used in this...
traditions (West African and Native American). The medieval French Roman de Reynart is called a beast-epic, with the recurring figure Reynard the fox.
Beast fables are typically transmitted freely between languages, and often assume pedagogic roles: for example, Latin versions of Aesop
Aesop
Aesop was a Greek writer credited with a number of popular fables. Older spellings of his name have included Esop and Isope. Although his existence remains uncertain and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a...
were standard as elementary textbook material in the European Middle Ages, and the Uncle Remus
Uncle Remus
Uncle Remus is a fictional character, the title character and fictional narrator of a collection of African American folktales adapted and compiled by Joel Chandler Harris, published in book form in 1881...
stories brought trickster tales into English.