Writing Club: Fables

The prompt this week was to write a fable. The basics of a fable are that they have a moral and the characters are typically animals. This was surprisingly difficult. I’m not sure mine is a good fable but it follows the basic rules.

Have you read a fable since you were a kid? Have you only ever read Aesop’s fables? Let me know in the comments. Happy reading.

The Crows and The Robin

Once there was a clutch of eggs and from them hatched a nest of fledgling crows. All with feathers inky black, save for one with feathers white as snow. His nestmates teased him for the color of his feathers. As they grew, the teasing grew worse.

“You are not a proper crow.” They cawed. As the Leucistic Crow began to fledge, his siblings pushed him from the nest. Down, down he fell into a drift of leaves. On the ground, he cawed for help. There he met a bright Robin, searching the leaves for a meal.

“Why do you cry little crow?” She asked. The Leucistic Fledging told his tale and the Robin answered. “I am an old bird. I will feed you and teach you to fly if in return you will help me forage as my days grow short.”

The Leucistic Crow agreed, helping the aged Robin forage, growing stronger through the summer days. Learning the ways of the different birds that the Robin introduced him to, for she was friendly with all. All the while he was laughed at by his nestmates from afar. According to them he was not a proper crow now due to his friends, as much as for the lack of color in his feathers. They did not stoop so low as to speak to other birds. 

A hot dry summer and a short fall lead to a harsh winter. The Proper Crows cawed with hunger but the Leucistic Crow, having learned the ways of the other birds, foraged and brought food to his adoptive mother Robin and the friends he had made.

When the Proper Crows laid down their pride and begged for help. The Leucistic Crow helped them too, but as teacher only. They had earned his help but not his servitude. 

I didn’t want to use just back and white in the story in regards to color so here is a useful guide to weird pigmentations. I did this because I also like science.

Thank you KW Photography for allowing me to use your wonderful photos!

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