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Fantastic Fables

by Ambrose Bierce from 1899

About

Bierce's Fantastic Fables are very short satirical parables — most only a paragraph long — targeting American political life, social hypocrisy, and human folly with a savagery that makes La Rochefoucauld seem gentle. Each fable takes an Aesopian structure (animals or allegorical figures representing human types) and drives it to a cynical conclusion. As group reading, the very short form makes these ideal for rapid-fire reading with different voices.

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Fantastic Fables

Words
26.7k
Duration
~3 hr 20 min

240 sections

26.7k words
#TitleWords
1
Fantastic Fables
140:06
2
BY AMBROSE BIERCE
280:13
3
The Ineffective Rooter
40:02
4
The Holy Deacon
30:01
5
The Overlooked Factor
30:01
6
The Kangaroo and the Zebra
40:02
7
The Tail of the Sphinx
40:02
8
The Crew of the Life-boat
40:02
9
The No Case
30:01
10
The Old Man and the Pupil
50:02
11
The Divided Delegation
30:01
12
An Optimist
30:01
13
The Dog and the Physician
60:03
14
Uncalculating Zeal
20:01
15
The Honest Citizen
30:01
16
The Ancient Order
30:01
17
The Massacre
50:02
18
The Fabulist and the Animals
30:01
19
The Appropriate Memorial
60:03
20
The Hen and the Vipers
30:01
21
The Lion and the Bull
50:02
22
The Lion and the Mouse
110:05
23
The Boys and the Frogs
1531:09
24
The Crimson Candle
1300:59
25
The Blotted Escutcheon and the Soiled Ermine
1381:02
26
The Ingenious Patriot
3052:17
27
Two Kings
870:39
28
An Officer and a Thug
1260:57
29
The Conscientious Official
1180:53
30
How Leisure Came
900:41
31
The Moral Sentiment
1411:03
32
The Politicians
2031:31
33
The Thoughtful Warden
650:29
34
The Treasury and the Arms
450:20
35
The Christian Serpent
520:23
36
The Broom of the Temple
2712:02
37
The Critics
1741:18
38
The Foolish Woman
680:31
39
Father and Son
790:36
40
The Discontented Malefactor
2662:00
41
The Man and the Lightning
440:20
42
The Lassoed Bear
1961:28
43
The Ineffective Rooter
2321:44
44
The Holy Deacon
3012:15
45
The Wooden Guns
710:32
46
The Reform School Board
450:20
47
The Poet's Doom
1571:11
48
The Noser and the Note
1951:28
49
The Cat and the King
690:31
50
The Literary Astronomer
1320:59
51
The Lion and the Rattlesnake
1691:16
52
The Man with No Enemies
830:37
53
The Alderman and the Raccoon
610:27
54
The Flying-Machine
1100:50
55
The Angel's Tear
1090:49
56
The City of Political Distinction
3332:30
57
The Party Over There
1761:19
58
The Poetess of Reform
2231:40
59
The Unchanged Diplomatist
1621:13
60
An Invitation
2111:35
61
The Ashes of Madame Blavatsky
1751:19
62
The Opossum of the Future
1290:58
63
The Life-Savers
1160:52
64
The Australian Grasshopper
1781:20
65
The Pavior
1110:50
66
The Tried Assassin
770:35
67
The Bumbo of Jiam
1901:26
68
The Two Poets
1140:51
69
The Thistles upon the Grave
570:26
70
The Shadow of the Leader
450:20
71
The Sagacious Rat
1270:57
72
The Member and the Soap
1080:49
73
Alarm and Pride
2281:43
74
Two in Trouble
830:37
75
The Witch's Steed
780:35
76
The All Dog
460:21
77
The Farmer's Friend
860:39
78
Physicians Two
1691:16
79
The Overlooked Factor
2071:33
80
The Honest Cadi
1421:04
81
The Kangaroo and the Zebra
1491:07
82
The Man of Principle
1170:53
83
The Returned Californian
650:29
84
The Compassionate Physician
1080:49
85
Two of the Damned
1020:46
86
The Austere Governor
1451:05
87
Religions of Error
1411:03
88
The Penitent Elector
710:32
89
The Tail of the Sphinx
2621:58
90
The Crew of the Life-boat
3182:23
91
The Nightside of Character
2101:35
92
The Faithful Cashier
1531:09
93
The Circular Clew
1030:46
94
The Devoted Widow
900:41
95
The Hardy Patriots
1150:52
96
The Humble Peasant
1861:24
97
The Various Delegation
1751:19
98
The No Case
2712:02
99
The Judge and the Rash Act
1140:51
100
The Prerogative of Might
1561:10
101
An Inflated Ambition
590:27
102
Rejected Services
640:29
103
The Power of the Scalawag
720:32
104
At Large--One Temper
1200:54
105
The Seeker and the Sought
880:40
106
His Fly-Speck Majesty
1280:58
107
The Pugilist's Diet
530:24
108
The Old Man and the Pupil
2051:32
109
The Politicians and the Plunder
1000:45
110
The Man and the Wart
1651:14
111
The Divided Delegation
4783:35
112
An Optimist
2441:50
113
Two Footpads
780:35
114
Equipped for Service
690:31
115
The Basking Cyclone
980:44
116
At the Pole
1431:04
117
The Optimist and the Cynic
800:36
118
The Poet and the Editor
2161:37
119
The Taken Hand
930:42
120
An Unspeakable Imbecile
1771:20
121
The Mine Owner and the Jackass
1441:05
122
The Dog and the Physician
680:31
123
The Party Manager and the Gentleman
2041:32
124
The Legislator and the Citizen
1821:22
125
The Rainmaker
2591:57
126
The Citizen and the Snakes
750:34
127
Fortune and the Fabulist
3372:32
128
Philosophers Three
830:37
129
The Boneless King
1220:55
130
Uncalculating Zeal
3392:33
131
The Honest Citizen
1451:05
132
Wasted Sweets
890:40
133
Six and One
1521:08
134
The Sportsman and the Squirrel
1240:56
135
The Fogy and the Sheik
1951:28
136
At Heaven's Gate
2051:32
137
The Catted Anarchist
1571:11
138
The Honourable Member
970:44
139
The Expatriated Boss
810:36
140
An Inadequate Fee
1220:55
141
The Judge and the Plaintiff
1651:14
142
The Return of the Representative
2291:43
143
Two Dogs
1030:46
144
Three Recruits
1331:00
145
The Mirror
1911:26
146
Saint and Sinner
570:26
147
An Antidote
1030:46
148
The Ingenious Blackmailer
2181:38
149
The Ancient Order
2972:14
150
The Massacre
2291:43
151
Congress and the People
630:28
152
The Justice and His Accuser
780:35
153
The Highwayman and the Traveller
1300:59
154
The Policeman and the Citizen
1040:47
155
The Writer and the Tramps
770:35
156
Two Politicians
990:45
157
The Fugitive Office
960:43
158
The Tyrant Frog
710:32
159
The Eligible Son-in-Law
1431:04
160
The Statesman and the Horse
1461:06
161
An AErophobe
610:27
162
The Thrift of Strength
760:34
163
The Good Government
1531:09
164
The Life Saver
690:31
165
The Man and the Bird
1080:49
166
From the Minutes
1220:55
167
Three of a Kind
1010:45
168
The Fabulist and the Animals
4073:03
169
The Debaters
740:33
170
Two of the Pious
690:31
171
The Desperate Object
1080:49
172
The Appropriate Memorial
2421:49
173
The Self-Made Monkey
1070:48
174
The Patriot and the Banker
1341:00
175
The Mourning Brothers
1481:07
176
The Disinterested Arbiter
480:22
177
The Thief and the Honest Man
920:41
178
The Dutiful Son
700:32
179
The Cat and the Youth
720:32
180
The Farmer and His Sons
780:35
181
Jupiter and the Baby Show
730:33
182
The Man and the Dog
900:41
183
The Cat and the Birds
670:30
184
Mercury and the Woodchopper
420:19
185
The Fox and the Grapes
350:16
186
The Penitent Thief
790:36
187
The Archer and the Eagle
420:19
188
Truth and the Traveller
740:33
189
The Wolf and the Lamb
760:34
190
The Lion and the Boar
770:35
191
The Grasshopper and the Ant
580:26
192
The Fisher and the Fished
820:37
193
The Farmer and the Fox
680:31
194
Dame Fortune and the Traveller
700:32
195
The Victor and the Victim
710:32
196
The Wolf and the Shepherds
500:23
197
The Goose and the Swan
710:32
198
The Lion, the Cock, and the Ass
710:32
199
The Snake and the Swallow
590:27
200
The Wolves and the Dogs
500:23
201
The Hen and the Vipers
910:41
202
The Lion and the Thorn
960:43
203
The Fawn and the Buck
670:30
204
The Kite, the Pigeons, and the Hawk
500:23
205
The Wolf and the Babe
680:31
206
The Wolf and the Ostrich
580:26
207
The Herdsman and the Lion
660:30
208
The Man and the Viper
690:31
209
The Man and the Eagle
630:28
210
The War-horse and the Miller
770:35
211
The Dog and the Reflection
650:29
212
The Man and the Fish-horn
1000:45
213
The Hare and the Tortoise
1210:54
214
Hercules and the Carter
650:29
215
The Lion and the Bull
1290:58
216
The Wolf and the Feeding Goat
1070:48
217
Jupiter and the Birds
820:37
218
The Lion and the Mouse
690:31
219
The Old Man and His Sons
890:40
220
The Crab and His Son
430:19
221
The North Wind and the Sun
570:26
222
The Mountain and the Mouse
670:30
223
The Bellamy and the Members
760:34
224
The Wolf and the Crane
640:29
225
The Lion and the Mouse
940:42
226
The Hares and the Frogs
760:34
227
The Belly and the Members
820:37
228
The Piping Fisherman
910:41
229
The Ants and the Grasshopper
960:43
230
The Dog and His Reflection
890:40
231
The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox
770:35
232
The Ass and the Lion's Skin
670:30
233
The Ass and the Grasshoppers
440:20
234
The Wolf and the Lion
970:44
235
The Hare and the Tortoise
760:34
236
The Milkmaid and Her Bucket
1250:56
237
King Log and King Stork
440:20
238
The Wolf Who Would Be a Lion
880:40
239
The Monkey and the Nuts
960:43
240
The Boys and the Frogs
800:36

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