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The Crow and the Dove - A Fable
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The Crow and the Dove - A Fable |
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Bridget Shenachie Senior Member
since 2002-01-23
Posts 1056Kansas USA 
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The Crow and the Dove—A Fable Gertrude, the crow, and Penelope, the dove, had gone to grammar school together. They had stayed in touch into their adult years and when they retired, they returned to their hometown to live. The two had always been complete opposites. The difference between coo and caw, black and white. The intervening years had taken them their separate ways and they looked forward to renewing their friendship. Unfortunately, Gertrude had developed some rather strange ideas about friendship. She had the idea that a friend was someone who would tolerate all sorts of emotional abuse and still allow the abuser to be present in her life. This was her definition of the loyalty which she demanded. Too late, Penelope remembered that Gertrude had always been jealous of her popularity and that Gertrude’s childhood tendency to ruffle the feathers of others had developed into a deeply cynical, rude, demanding and overbearing way of relating to others. Gertrude never did anything for nothing. If she did what she considered a favor (albeit, unasked) for someone else, she considered that bird forever in her debt and demanded repayment. So Gertrude continued to visit her ill nature upon Penelope. She had a way of making Penelope’s admirable qualities sound disgusting and her imperfections, which Gertrude never failed to point out, truly loathsome. Her jealousy made her insensitive to the fact that Penelope had also known grief in life. Penelope’s children had been hunted and served up in a restaurant, squab being a rare delicacy. Let’s face it. No one wants to eat crow. Gertrude ridiculed, demeaned and scolded Penelope until Penelope’s feathers were beyond ruffled. When Penelope tried to defend herself from Gertrude’s false accusations, Gertrude was enraged and accused Penelope of being disagreeable and argumentative. When Gertrude realized that she had been unfair, she accused Penelope of not being able to take a joke and said that she had no sense of humor. When Penelope tried to be light-hearted, Gertrude accused her of being shallow. When Penelope spoke of the loss of her children, insensitive Gertrude said that she was too serious and depressing. Under the steady barrage of verbal and emotional abuse from Gertrude, Penelope became very ill, sick unto death. Her feathers fell out and her coo became a croak, sounding very like a weak caw. In her dying breath, she croaked to Gertrude, “You are cruel and hateful.” And then she died. Gertrude was grief-stricken. Her emotional whipping post was gone. She no longer had anyone to blame and shame. And what is even more sad, she couldn’t understand why Penelope had judged her so harshly. MORAL: We teach others how to treat us. |
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| © Copyright 2004 Louise Ryan - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Alicat Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094Coastal Texas |
Good Gravy! No punches pulled on how some act, and illustrated very well some of the interpersonal dynamics employed. Very well written, and a potent moral. |
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Endlessecho Member
since 2003-09-05
Posts 398I live within myself |
True to life and Well Told! |
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Dr.Moose1 Member Elite
since 1999-09-05
Posts 3448Bewilderment , USA |
Bridget, Your inherent talent is definately obvious here. This has all the bells and whistles, style, wit, humor( "no one wants to eat crow"). On a scale of ten, throw the scale out and buy a new one with a few more digits. Oh, and, I like it. Doc |
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Munda Member Elite
since 1999-10-08
Posts 3544The Hague, The Netherlands |
LOL Doc! No one can say it any better than you! I completely agree with him Bridget! Enjoyed every word of it! |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
Yanno... I really needed to read this.. everything makes sense now (without going into details)you've enlightened me. I loved it and enjoyed it very much Thank you. Maree  Beauty of the world which is soon to perish has two edges, one of laughter and one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Oh gee look...  People who think like me about you!  Won't say I told ya so...nope. Won't say it...not more than three or four thousand times. Nope...  |
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Duncan Member Ascendant
since 2001-08-07
Posts 5455 |
I'm in the class across the hall (the one with all the smoke coming from under the door). Just wanted to say Hi... |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
Oh I'm just back to add this to my library  Beauty of the world which is soon to perish has two edges, one of laughter and one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder. |
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Dark Angel Member Patricius
since 1999-08-04
Posts 10095 |
clicked "show signature" instead heheh ooops  |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
We do, indeed, give others all of the signals they need to know how to treat us. Whether it be with the utmost respect or blatant antipathy... They follow our lead. This is a wonderful rendition with a great lesson to be learned, Bridget - Thanks for sharing it... |
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Bridget Shenachie Senior Member
since 2002-01-23
Posts 1056Kansas USA |
Thanks to all of you for reading and commenting. Shenachie |
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