Brainstorming Fabel

Skunk playing trumpet

Deer playing cello

The eagle plays the harp

How often did you read or hear fables in your childhood?

Fables are written to teach children about their culture's appropriate behavior and values. Now, take a closer look at the fable below and its explanation.

A fable usually tells a story. It is formed as a short work of fiction. It contains a few characters. Its generic structure or plot is usually very straightforward. The generic structure follows a simple story pattern. Look at how simple the generic structure of a fable is.

Generic Structure

• Using many action verbs, verbal, and mental processes.

• Using direct and indirect speech.

• Using the past tense.

• Using linking words related to time.

• Using dialogues with different the tenses.

• Using descriptive languages to help reader's imagination.

Fables have some language features, such as:

Some Characteristics of A Fable

Sometimes there are dialogues to help bring a character to life and drive the story's action forward. Some characteristics of a fable are symbolism (the characters are used to symbolize human behaviour), anthropomorphization (animals or inanimate objects are given human qualities), lessons (a moral lesson at the end that arises from the story, and humour (a humorous tone for showing the silliness of human nature).

See the text and find structure of the text in the next slide.

The Bat and the Weasels

​A Bat blundered into the nest of a Weasel, who ran up to catch and eat him. The Bat begged for his life, but the Weasel would not listen.

"You are a Mouse," he said, "and I am a sworn enemy of Mice. Every Mouse I catch, I am going to eat!"

"But I am not a Mouse!" cried the Bat. "Look at my wings. Can Mice fly? Why, I am only a Bird! Please let me go!"

The Weasel had to admit that the Bat was not a Mouse, so he let him go. But a few days later, the foolish Bat went blindly into the nest of another Weasel. This Weasel happened to be a bitter enemy of Birds, and he soon had the Bat under his claws, ready to eat him.

"You are a Bird," he said, "and I am going to eat you!"

"What," cried the Bat, "I, a Bird! Why, all Birds have feathers! I am nothing but a Mouse. 'Down with all Cats,' is my motto!"

And so the Bat escaped with his life a second time