Friday Fables

The Fable of the Spiderby Barry J. NorthernWhy not listen along to the Fable of the Spider as you read? Just click the play button below or download the MP3 Two orb-spiders burst from their silky cocoon. They beheld a riot of shapes and colours. Earthy browns led up bowed plant-spires to a blue expanse where the great webs sparkled.One spider turned to his brother and said. "Look at those webs. How fat the spiders who live in those towers are. How good it is for them to live such a life."His brother replied. "Oh, to build a web like that."A great shadow passed over the two spiders, blocking out the sky. A feathered monster shrieked upon them, and it was then each learnt there were also horrors in the world. Many of their brothers and sisters were taken, but the brothers survived, though one with only seven legs.A great shadow passed over the two spidersAfter weaving many webs, Eight spoke to Seven. "It is time for us to part, for it is the way of our kind to live alone in our webs. It is time to build your

The Fable of the Slow-wormby Barry J. NorthernWhy not listen along to the Fable of the Slow-worm as you read? Just click the play button below or download the MP3 A slow-worm had searched in vain all night for slugs, but come morning he was forced to settle under rocky shadows by the threat of the rising sun.As the morning waxed and warmed the rocks above his head, he felt less cold, but the sun's comfort could not sooth his stomach's hollow ache.Then he saw a slug. A long, old slug with a ridged back and orange side-stripes. The best kind. It was moving slowly, no doubt caught out by the day's sudden heat. Did he dare risk it? His belly answered yes.After feasting, the slow-worm felt fat and happy. Not since the days of his youth had he been out in the light like this. He'd forgotten the beautiful blue of the starless sky. He'd also forgotten to be wary of the flying shriekers. A sudden downthrust of air was his only warning before a shadow descended upon him, followed by a taloned foot.He looked up at twin

The Fable of the Tarsierby Barry J. NorthernWhy not listen along to the Fable of the Tarsier as you read? Just click the play button below or download the MP3. A tarsier sat upon his branch, chewing on a large cricket he had just caught. A warm jungle breeze rustled the leaves about him, and above, stars twinkled through the forest canopy.He heard approaching footsteps on the branch and swivelled his head, fixing his large eyes upon a brother hurrying towards him. The younger tarsier waved his arms and chirruped. So hurried was Chirrup that Cricket-Catcher did not at first understand his words.“... coming … quick … coming … this big.”Cricket-Catcher smiled around a mouthful of food as he watched Chirrup extend his little arms as wide as his slight frame would allow. “Big, eh?”Chirrup jumped up and down and nodded. “Yes, yes. Big it is. Quick.”“Quick too?”“No, no quick, we must go.”“Where? I've just caught this cricket. I'm not moving.”This sent Chirrup into another frenzy of arm-waving and high-pitching singi

The Fable of the Pigeonby Barry J. Northern A young pigeon, not long out of the nest, squabbled among his fellows around the legs of one of the wingless giants who sat upon the strange wooden bush at this time every day.His father stayed close to him. “Look Fletch, this here giant is dropping bits of giant food already, good as grain that stuff. Oh, he'll fling us his scraps at the end, but you wanna watch out for anything you can get.” His father laughed at the older pigeons at the front of the crowd, fighting for scraps. “Look at em go. That's the way!”“But, Dad?”“Yes, my son?”“Can't I just have grain mash? You've still got crop milk. I like it with a bit of crop milk.”“Look son, I told you already, you're off the milk now. It'll dry up soon anyhow.”“What about Mum?”“She's got your brother to worry about. Look, you're not a squab any more.” His beady red eye darted ahead of a sharp-turned neck. “Look out! He's dropping scraps! Go on, get in there my son.”Fletch, wanting to impress his father, pushed his way

The Fable of the Elephantby Barry J. Northern A young elephant trailed behind the herd, trying not to be noticed. She wanted to play with the young ones, as she always had done, but Mother had told her that this year she was old enough to help with mothering duties. The first of the new calves had been born the previous night. It had been a wonderful time, all the women of the herd celebrated, but Kijana now feared she would soon be set to some task or other.The fear of impending duty grew within her until she could no longer bear it. "Mother!" she called out. "I'm just off to the water-hole. I won't be long."Mother turned around, her trunk swaying, ears flapping. "All right, dear."Kijana had expected an argument. It seemed there were some advantages to being a little older, she thought, and stomped off to the water-hole alone. She was still young enough to feel nervous about leaving the herd behind, but felt emboldened when a pair of impala skittered away from her shadow.Now it was Kijana's plan to escape th

The Fable of the Swallowby Barry J. Northern A large roost of swallows settled about a tree, whose thinning branches fractured the sunset. One swallow among them stood on a high branch before her brood and proclaimed the end of Summer."My children. It is time for us to journey towards the Sun, to our wintering grounds."The children became excited, especially one young lad from the first brood who had been dreaming of the wintering grounds ever since an old swallow told him of the burnt fields, teaming with fat flies. More than the promise of a great feast under a strong sun, however, Firstborn desired to make nest and find a wife.He saw a younger brother on a lower branch, and hopped down to say farewell."I'm going now, brother, for I cannot wait. Will you fly with me?"Secondborn laughed. "No-one may fly as fast as you, brother. But what is the hurry? Will you not roost here tonight and wait for the flock to leave?""No, I want to be there as soon as possible. I'll make the finest nest you ever saw!" And with

The Fable of the Rhino and the Oxpeckerby Barry J. Northern One morning, a black rhino looked up from the thorny bush he was stripping with his hooked lips, for he heard the distant rumble of hoofbeats.He squinted against the savannah sun and could see only a cloud of dust with a vaguely darker kernel, for his eyesite was poor.He set his feet to the ground and charged off to meet this new threat, for the bush was good, and the females were nearby.An oxpecker, who had been working at a tick near Rhino's ear, flew up above his head. "Charge, my tick-infested friend, charge well. Don't worry about your wounds, for I will keep them clean for you."Rhino called back. "Thank you little friend. I will be back as soon as I have dealt with my enemy."Rhino charged, and soon shortened the distance between himself and the approaching blur. The hoofbeats grew louder, until soon they were as loud as his own, and the distance closed so that even Rhino could clearly see his enemy -- another male, like himself.He called out to

The Fable of the Rock Ptarmiganby Barry J. Northern High upon a rocky outcrop, a Rock Ptarmigan shed its last white feather and so his thoughts turned to finding a lady. Now Rock Ptarmigan men are proud of their fine feathered feet, and their thick plumage, which changes colour with the seasons, but most of all each is proud of his comb, for it is with the quality of his comb that he attracts a lady.Rock worked his way down the outcrop towards his favourite spring, thankful that winter's touch no longer hardened the puddle from which he drank. As he bent down he regarded his comb's reflection. He thought it too small to impress or intimidate, and sighed, for he derived his greatest pleasure from the praise of others, and without it he knew he would strive for nothing beyond foraging for buds and catkins, and drinking from his favourite spring.As Rock worked his way farther down the outcrop, he met a young man parading in front of a lady. Both were younger than he, and Rock was gratified when the man, taking o

The Fable of the Honey Beeby Barry J. Northern A honey bee worker emerged from her brood cell and immediately set about cleaning, for her new baby sister would need the nursery soon. The Queen Bee inspected her work. "One has not cleaned it well enough. One must try harder."Princess was mortified, for she only desired to be worthy in her mother's eyes. From then on she vowed to work harder than any other worker bee in the hive.Princess and her sisters were eager to see the outside world and smell the flowers, for the source of nectar and pollen must be wonderous indeed, but it is the way of honey bee workers to attend to many tasks before they are old enough to go out and forage.Firstly, Princess nursed her new larval sister, feeding it her own jelly. She enjoyed watching her sister grow, knowing that her elder sister had done the same for her. Before long it was time to ween the new princess onto honey and pollen, and the flow of jelly turned to one of wax.After that, Princess left the brood cell and worked

The Fable of the Kangarooby Barry J. Northern A young Joey peered out of his mother's pouch for the first time. His eyes were wide with wonder as he gazed out into the world, for it was far larger than he had ever imagined nestled in the warmth and safety of the pouch.Out on the plains, some fascinating creatures were jumping around. "What are those, Mummy?"Flyer looked down at her Joey. "Oh, my son, you are out of the pouch. I think you are too small to come out yet. Why don't you go back inside?""All right, Mummy," said Joey, and settled back down into the warm pouch.The next day, Joey woke up remembering dreams of the open plains and the jumping creatures, and so he poked his head out again. The creatures were real -- he had not imagined them. "What are those, Mummy?"Flyer looked down. "Oh, my son, you are out again."One of those jumping creatures had a small head in its belly. Joey laughed. "They are creatures just like us aren't they?""Yes dear."One of the other Joeys jumped out of its mother's pouch and

The Fable of the Magpieby Barry J. Northern There was once a magpie who built a nest for himself and his wife. It was a good nest, and they were happy. In their first two Springs they raised healthy clutches, and were proud each time their children left the nest. Yet Husband was not content."Will each year be the same as this?" he asked his wife."Are you not happy then, Husband?"But he only said, "I am, my love," for he did not wish to upset his wife.Later that day, Husband flew abroad searching for something with which to adorn his nest, for it was dull to his eyes, and he wished to improve it. He chanced upon a shiny object, and though he knew not what it was, he admired it, and so flew down to retrieve it in his beak.Back at the nest, his wife looked up at Husband's return. "What have you there, Husband?"He saw his own love for the shiny object reflected in her eyes. "Something to adorn our nest, my love," he said, and worked the object into the walls of their nest. He stood back to admire it, and said. "N

The Fable of the Weaver Antby Barry J. Northern A family of weaver ants chanced upon a fresh young mango tree one day and decided to make it their new home.It was not long before one of the family found a good leaf to begin the work of building a nest. He sought out the edge with his feelers and began to pull. His brothers and sisters saw him at his work and joined in beside him, adding their strength to the effort of bending the leaf, which was many times bigger than they were. They spoke to each other as they worked."We must pull this edge up to the leaf above us.""I will lead a group to that leaf to help receive it.""Collect the younglings, we will soon need their silk to bind the edges.""1 - 2 - 3 - Heave!""You there! Go and recruit more workers!"More of their brothers and sisters came and joined the bustling activity of construction. The chatter and noise of their collaboration created an atmosphere of joyous labour, and soon the leaves were bent close together. It was time for the chaining."Hold on to m

The Fable of the Glow-wormby Barry J. Northern There was once a glow-worm who emerged out into the world for the first time, and beheld the night sky. While her sisters took their places on the blades of grass to await the menfolk, she stayed gazing at the stars.Before long Stargazer's sisters began to glow and twinkle around her in the grass. To the young glow-worm it was a pretty sight, but not as glorious as the stars above.Now it is the way of glow-worms for the menfolk and womenfolk to each be blessed with a different gift. The menfolk may fly among the heavens, yet are dull to behold. The womenfolk glow like gems, yet are wingless, and must remain among the tall grass. It was time for each of the womenfolk to attract a mate with her beauty, and so soon the evening air buzzed with the flapping of the menfolks' wings.Said Stargazer; "I desire not to be like my sisters, for they live an ordinary life." And so she began to climb the tallest stem she could find, looking up at the stars all the while as if tr

The Fable of the Squirrelby Barry J. Northern There once was a young grey squirrel who became lost in the woods and could not find his way home. He spent a hard year alone casting about for food, for he was used to the help of his family, but in time he learnt well how to eat the spring buds, and later tofind and gather the summer nuts, so that by winter he knew he would live to see the new year.Though Grey had now learnt how to live, it was a lonely life, so when one day he met a black squirrel he became excited and desired to make friends with him."Hello there!" he cried, "How come you are alone in the forest?" But Black hid behind a tree and would not answer. Grey moved closer, slowly, not wanting to alarm the lone squirrel, and it was then he saw that Black was thin and starving.Grey ran back to his horde of acorns and fetched one for Black, hoping then that they would be friends, but when he returned Black was gone.The next day Grey spotted Black again, and this time he did not hide when Grey called out

The Fable of the Carpby Barry J. Northern There was once a school of carp who lived in a slow river with many other water creatures. The river was a beautiful place, full of life, and there was plenty to eat for everyone among weeds, which floated in the clear water.The carp ate well along the river bed, where their favourite food lay, and grew large. Some carp found ways to eat more than others, for they were clever and rooted deep in the mud, and so they became larger more quickly. One carp grew so large in this fashion that he crowned himself king. Even so, he still desired to grow larger, and even began to eat the other fish of the river.Now many of the carp were jealous of King, even while they desired to be as large as he, and so they too rooted deep in the mud and ate the other fish. A few of the carp among them saw that the once clear water was growing muddy, and that there were less kinds of fish in the river than there once were, but most simply desired to grow bigger like those around them.One carp

The Fable of the Great Horned Owlby Barry J. Northern There once was a great horned owl who loved to hunt. He became known among the other owls for his great skill, even though his kind were hunters by nature. The other owls loved him, and so it was not long before he found himself a wife and made nest with her.Early in spring the couple's first clutch hatched, and soon five owlets were screeching for food. It was a large family, but Mother did not worry, for her husband's skills meant there would always be plenty for her and her children to eat. Nevertheless, before he set off for work early in the evening, she said to him."I shall miss hunting with you, husband, but I must stay at nest and keep our young ones warm.""Fear not, wife, for I will soon return." And then he swooped off the branch and was lost to the shadows of the deepening night.It was not long before Hunter returned, with food enough for the children. Mother fed her hungry owlets while Hunter flew off to find more food for her. Again he returne

The Fable of the Starfishby Barry J. Northern Two starfish clung to a rock in the shallows, enjoying the to and fro of the seawater against their tube feet. After a while, one starfish spoke to the other."I am hungry. Let us go and find some mussels to eat."His friend agreed, and so they crawled down the rock and across the sand to where the mussels slept on their rock. On the way, they came to a crevice in a high reef, and Hungry said, "Let us go through this way, for it is quicker."Friend was not sure, and with reason, for soon both starfish were stuck, and as much as they struggled, both had one arm wedged fast within the crevice. Hungry pulled hard and left his arm behind, saying, "It matters not, for my arm will soon grow back." And off he crawled toward the mussels, enjoining his friend to follow."I will follow you soon, brother, for I am almost free." Friend wiggled his arm and with care was able to manoeuvre it out of the crevice without injuring himself. He soon caught up with Hungry, who was alread

The Fable of the Blackbirdby Barry J. Northern A blackbird and his new wife flew across the fields searching for a good hedgerow in which to make their home. Long did they search for just the right spot, for it was their first year as yellow-beaks, and they had never before built a nest of their own."How about the thick ivy upon this tree my love?" said Husband."Too small," said Wife."What of this hawthorn. It looks good.""It is too tall, what if our eggs should fall?"They searched the hedgerows for two more days until they found a large, low holly bush. Husband's wings were tired, but he was glad to see his new wife so pleased, for she said it was perfect, and that it would be their home for the rest of their lives.Now it was time for them to build a proper nest for their first clutch, and so, as is the way with blackbirds, Wife set about building the nest while Husband fetched the straw."Husband, do not take the straw from this field, for it is poor. Fly away to the yellow field yonder, for the straw there

The Fable of the Orang-utanby Barry J. Northern Deep in the jungle, a family of young orang-utans played in the trees around their wise old father, who was content to sit and watch from his nest in the branches.Old Man's youngest son stopped by the nest while his brothers played on. He was in high spirits, and said to his father. "Oh, this playing is fun, Father, but I might stop now.""Why stop?" said Old Man, "The day is yet young, and the weather is fine." "Oh, it will be fine tomorrow too. I can play then."Old Man laughed. "Young one, there is a saying 'don't count your chickens before they are hatched', which means don't count on fine weather tomorrow before tomorrow comes. Go now and play."And so Young One laughed and swung off to join his brothers. Now Old Man's eldest son had overheard this, and so he also stopped by the nest, and said to his father. "I have heard all your sayings, Father. I too am wise, see." And so Eldest Son swung among his brothers, dispensing advice. Young One was about to swing o