The Showman's Monkey and his Master
A mischievous simian, renowned for mastering countless tricks at the command of a puppet showman, embarks on an unapproved performance when his master is absent. Having long entertained his familiar audience with feats ranging from dramatic death-acts to nimble acrobatics and even simulated sword and gun displays, the simian’s ambition leads him to attempt a more elaborate spectacle using a magic lantern. Emulating his master’s technique, he theatrically manipulates painted glass slides to narrate vivid, imagined scenes. However, in his eagerness to impress, he neglects to light the lantern, leaving the intended marvels shrouded in darkness. This oversight results in the audience’s growing suspicion that the performance is nothing more than empty talk, devoid of the promised visual wonder. The climax unfolds with the sudden return of his master, who immediately discerns the futility of the act. In a blend of amusement and reprimand, the master chastises the simian for relying on elaborate speech and pomp without ensuring the essential elements for success. The incident serves as a pointed satire on ostentation and verbosity, contrasting polished rhetoric with the necessity of genuine action. It critiques those who value grandiloquent expression and intellectual show without providing the substantive means to truly illuminate or entertain. Thus, the narrative uses the mishap as an allegory for the dangers of misplaced confidence in form over function, highlighting that even the most articulate performance loses its luster if the fundamental requirements are neglected.
By Tomás de Iriarte · First published 1757 · Genre: Satire, Fable, Parody · 511 words
First lines
That authentic author, Father Valdecebro, -- / In his veracious Natural History, / Who exercised his warm imagination, / By spots and marks, each beast minutely painting, / And told, in style so fanciful and turgid, / About the Unicorn astounding marvels, / And to the fabulous Phoenix gave full credence, -- / In his eighth book, or ninth, -- which I've forgotten, -- / Relates the story of a famous Monkey.
The story ran: That it was a Monkey skilful / In thousand tricks, who served a puppet showman: / That thought one day, in absence of his master, / To ask some beasts -- his own especial cronies -- / To witness all his entertaining juggles.
What this Textopian page supports
The Showman's Monkey and his Master is listed on Textopian as a fable by Tomás de Iriarte, dated 1757 CE.
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- Work type: Fable
- Author: Tomás de Iriarte
- Date: 1757 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Fable, Parody, Humorous Poetry, Allegory
- Length: 511 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
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Genres
- Satire — Utilizes irony and wit to critique pretentious scholarly and theatrical practices through exaggerated narrative elements.
- Fable — Features anthropomorphic characters and a narrative structure aimed at delivering a moral or reflective commentary on human follies.
- Parody — Mocks established literary and natural historical conventions by imitating and exaggerating their styles for humorous effect.
- Humorous Poetry — Employs playful language, clever twists, and rhythmic structure to entertain while conveying deeper critiques.
Tags
fable · allegory · satire · didactic · animal tale · short narrative · moral lesson · social commentary · humorous · historical · Spanish literature · entertainment