Out of this intimacy and understanding grew the fable, wherein
animals thought, acted, and talked in the terms of human life.
This kind of story is illustrated by the "Fables" of Aesop, the
animal stories of Ernest Thompson-Seton, the "Jungle Books" of
Rudyard Kipling and the "Uncle Remus" stories of Joel Chandler
Harris. The fable is a tale rather than a true short-story.




A FRENCH TAR-BABY

[Footnote: From "Evening Tales," by Joel Chandler Harris.
Copyright, 1893, by Charles Scribner's Sons.]


In the time when there were hobgoblins and fairies, Brother Goat
and Brother Rabbit lived in the same neighborhood, not far from
each other.

Proud of his long beard and sharp horns, Brother Goat looked on
Brother Rabbit with disdain. He would hardly speak to Brother
Rabbit when he met him, and his greatest pleasure was to make his
little neighbor the victim of his tricks and practical jokes. For
instance, he would say:

"Brother Rabbit, here is Mr. Fox," and this would cause Brother
Rabbit to run away as hard as he could. Again he would say:

"Brother Rabbit, here is Mr. Wolf," and poor Brother Rabbit would