What is a moral fable?
A moral fable combines the left (logical) & right (creative) side of the brain, so it both entertains creatively and validates certain types of behaviour, morally. The creative part is the fairy tale which often involves animals rather than humans. It speaks to our hearts as it entertains us; the ending is the logical, moral conclusion that satisfies our logical brains and seems “right”. The best moral fables are ones that entertain us, have a powerful message, yet don’t preach too much: e.g. in Aesop’s fable, the tortoise & hare, the story is designed to demonstrate that slow & steady beats fast and reckless. That’s the moral of the fable. I think this story works because the tortoise seems like the under-dog, who gets the last laugh only after a great struggle; also, whilst the hare is fast, it is also lazy (and/or arrogant), so there is a double message there. The problem with all moral fables is that there are often 2 sides to the same story … things are rarely so black and white
