Reading Notes: Aesop's Fables, Part A
From the stories about Dogs and Cats in the Aesop's Fables unit, I chose The Cat Maiden from the Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs and The Cat and Venus from The Baby's Own Aesop by W.J. Linton.
The Cat Maiden is different from The Cat and Venus because the first entertain a debate as opposed to simply offering a lesson like the latter.
In The Cat Maiden, two of the Roman Gods - Jupiter and Venus - are discussing the potential of living beings to change their nature. Jupiter states that yes, living beings can defy their nature. Venus is adamant that no living thing can change its nature.
Jupiter decides to test his theory. He chooses Cat and turns her into a woman. After saddling her off with a man, marrying them, and entertaining the newly-weds at their wedding feast, he is proudly declaring himself the winner.
But Venus is crafty and she has a trick up her sleeve. Venus releases a mouse upon the wedding party. Inevitably, Cat pounces and chases after the mouse. Thus, Venus announces, "Nature will out."
For The Cat and Venus, there is only the Roman goddess present. This version doesn't have a debate about the philosophical question of whether one can change their nature. Instead, a man asks for his cat to be turned into a woman so that he can have a bride. Venus does so, and the man marries his cat-girl. However, she sees a mouse and she chases it as of the nature of cats.
Thus, Venus once again says "Nature will out."
Brainstorming:
I was really curious about Cat's perspective in these stories. Does she even have feelings towards her husband - whether of animosity or love? Is Cat happy about being turned into a human? Is she horrified by the changing of her body? What if, instead of being complacent with the events of the story, of having a present-absence as her actions bear little importance but as a placeholder character, Cat is begrudgingly used against her will as some experiment for the Gods' amusement?
The Cat Maiden is different from The Cat and Venus because the first entertain a debate as opposed to simply offering a lesson like the latter.
In The Cat Maiden, two of the Roman Gods - Jupiter and Venus - are discussing the potential of living beings to change their nature. Jupiter states that yes, living beings can defy their nature. Venus is adamant that no living thing can change its nature.
Jupiter decides to test his theory. He chooses Cat and turns her into a woman. After saddling her off with a man, marrying them, and entertaining the newly-weds at their wedding feast, he is proudly declaring himself the winner.
But Venus is crafty and she has a trick up her sleeve. Venus releases a mouse upon the wedding party. Inevitably, Cat pounces and chases after the mouse. Thus, Venus announces, "Nature will out."
For The Cat and Venus, there is only the Roman goddess present. This version doesn't have a debate about the philosophical question of whether one can change their nature. Instead, a man asks for his cat to be turned into a woman so that he can have a bride. Venus does so, and the man marries his cat-girl. However, she sees a mouse and she chases it as of the nature of cats.
Thus, Venus once again says "Nature will out."
Brainstorming:
I was really curious about Cat's perspective in these stories. Does she even have feelings towards her husband - whether of animosity or love? Is Cat happy about being turned into a human? Is she horrified by the changing of her body? What if, instead of being complacent with the events of the story, of having a present-absence as her actions bear little importance but as a placeholder character, Cat is begrudgingly used against her will as some experiment for the Gods' amusement?
Image from Fat Cat Art
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