Prompt Tuesdays -- Create an Aesop's Fable

The Turtle and His Sculpture

One particularly hot and humid day, a turtle was feeling bored and listless. So, at the edge of his pond, he stacked some polished, round pond rocks upon the mushy sand — first a large rock, then a small rock, and then a medium rock on the very top.

A fox came walking by, and seeing the rocks exclaimed. “My friend! I see what you are after! The medium rock on top of the others symbolizes the plight of man to reach the pinnacle of his success!”

The fox ran into the forest and returned with a bear. The bear, upon hearing the fox's translation, exclaimed. “Yes, I agree, Brother Fox, but you see the large stone on the very bottom symbolizes the plight of the supporters, helping others smaller and weaker than them.”

The fox and the bear ran back into the forest and returned with the badger, who, upon hearing the fox’s and bear’s interpretation of the turtle’s sculpture, exclaimed “Absoutely, my friends – but do you not see the middle rock symbolizes the plight of the hunted, pulling the universe together in pure harmony?”

Finally, unable to contain himself, the turtle exclaimed. “But you are all wrong! The rocks are just supposed to look like a tree stump!” Upon which, all three of the other animals shrugged and walked back into the forest unimpressed.

Moral: Artists, keep your mouths shut! The interpretation of your sheer genius is often from the unintentional!