A Fable by Mark Twain (1906)
An artist creates a beautiful painting and admires it in a mirror, claiming it appears even more lovely. Animals in the woods, intrigued by the cat's description of the painting, become eager to see it. The cat, revered for its knowledge, explains the beauty of the picture and the mirror, inciting excitement among the animals. However, the ass expresses skepticism, suggesting that the excessive praise raises doubts about the painting's true beauty. Curiosity prevails, and the animals decide to investigate the mirror themselves. The ass volunteers to look first but mistakenly positions himself incorrectly, seeing only his reflection and declaring that the cat lied. The elephant, puzzled, calls for more witnesses. One by one, each animal looks into the mirror, only to see their own reflection, leading to confusion and frustration. The elephant, angered by the deception, insists on discovering the truth himself. Upon his return, he chastises the animals for their gullibility and claims that the mirror only reflects an elephant. The moral presented by the cat emphasizes that perception is subjective; individuals see what they expect or wish to see, influenced by their own biases and imagination.
By Mark Twain · First published 1906 · Genre: Fable, Satire, Allegory · 967 words
First lines
Once upon a time an artist who had painted a small and very beautiful picture placed it so that he could see it in the mirror. He said, "This doubles the distance and softens it, and it is twice as lovely as it was before."
The animals out in the woods heard of this through the housecat, who was greatly admired by them because he was so learned, and so refined and civilized, and so polite and high-bred, and could tell them so much which they didn't know before, and were not certain about afterward. They were much excited about this new piece of gossip, and they asked questions, so as to get at a full understanding of it. They asked what a picture was, and the cat explained.
What this Textopian page supports
A Fable is listed on Textopian as a short story by Mark Twain, dated 1906 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Mark Twain
- Date: 1906 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Satire, Allegory, Philosophical Fiction, Children's Literature
- Length: 967 words
- Structure: 1 section, 28 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- The Lion The Ass And The Fox by Leo Tolstoy
- The Farmyard Cock And The Weathercock by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Monkey And The Pease by Leo Tolstoy
- The Ass In The Lions Skin by Leo Tolstoy
- The Dog The Cock And The Fox by Leo Tolstoy
- The Conceited Apple Branch by Hans Christian Andersen
Genres
- Fable — The narrative features anthropomorphized animals and conveys a moral lesson, characteristic of fables.
- Satire — The story critiques human nature and societal behaviors through the interactions of the animals.
- Allegory — The characters and events symbolize deeper truths about perception and understanding.
- Philosophical Fiction — The text explores themes of truth, perception, and subjective reality.
Tags
Satire · Fable · Social Commentary · American Literature · 19th Century Fiction · Humor · Irony · Critique of Society · Morality Tale · Animal Fable · Commentary on Human Nature · Pessimism