Fabulist

A/N: This was written for the 'Past Life' challenge on Vocal, enjoy!

Ancient Greece - I mean those Athenian scholars rather than their Spartan neighbors. That is where I think I could be born. From a practical perspective, it is likely that around 600 BCE is the earliest you could get away with while still living a bearable life, depending on your sex, of course. Some understanding of medicine, advanced education, and clean architecture could give those privileged a very enjoyable life indeed.

Imagine, for a moment, what it was like in ancient Greece.

The sand crushes under your sandals as you make your way to new and exciting libraries. The Mediterranean sun beating down on your arms, free from your cornflower blue tunic. The pin on your tunic catches the glint of light, shining a refraction ahead of you – an illuminated patch of sand to pursue that echoes the scholar's footsteps in which you are following.

You could see a tragedy at the theatre later if you have time, or perhaps, you could learn a new ballad on the lyre. The options are almost limitless during peacetime. Being there almost feels like dreaming. So many things to do, and suspended summertime to do them in.

You enter the library and see more people at their leisure, reading and studying. Everyone lucky enough had a specialist subject; astronomy, history, economy, warfare, education, government, law – the options are once again limitless! But those aren’t your specialty. Your study is ethics, and your passion is fiction… You are a fabulist.

In short, a fabulist is someone who writes fables. Fables are fictional stories, usually containing anthropomorphized animals, that have a moral lesson to teach. The most famous fabulist was Aesop, an ancient Greek who wrote classics – ever heard of ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’? that’s an Aesop!

I am not saying I wish to be Aesop, no. I wish to be a fabulist in Ancient Greece, like Aesop. Writing fables is great fun, but having them read is so much more! A moral lesson is something that is usually learned the hard way. For instance, take the moral from ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’, which is ‘Slow and Steady wins the Race’. Someone could learn that from exhaustion, misfortune, or injury as a result of trying too hard. Alternatively, they could learn it from a fable they were told as a child and keep the moral in their hearts until it is needed.

In my modern life, I work in a library and have a bachelor's degree in Animal Behaviour and Welfare. I believe that my enjoyment of these goes beyond my nurture - they are my nature. I never stop questioning what is right and looking at issues from all perspectives. I enjoy an ethical conundrum and the differing methods by which they can be solved. While I would describe myself as an overall utilitarian, I also understand that there is no helping others without helping oneself to a position from which to help.

• Utilitarianism, in short, is a philosophy that dictates an action as ethical if it provides the most 'good' for the most individuals. For example, if you have 5 cookies and 4 friends to share them with, it would be ethical under utilitarianism to give your friends one cookie each rather than eating them all yourself. Spread the joy, spread the cookies.

I would definitely be steered toward the study of ethics, there is no doubt about that. With the Ancient Greek love of ethics, I would have no trouble finding the resources to do so.

Next comes my love of stories and animals. I sometimes read stories to the children at my library and it is beyond charming. I adore the reactions they have when the story I am reading not only entertains them but educates them! It is wonderful. That would translate into my life as an Ancient Greek fabulist as fables can be written as children's stories.

I should clarify that I think some moral lessons should be learned through personal experience. Everyone should be humbled now and again. Though, I think a lot more difficulty could be avoided if children are raised on fables, rather than tough love. I am looking at you Ancient Sparta!

So that is where I would be born, Ancient Greece, and I would make my way as a fabulist, finding fulfillment in my stories and the lessons within them. I would feel a genuine contributor to society when passing on my fables to the children in my community. Maybe I would even reach for a dream of building my own children's library. Hopefully, the building would be sturdy enough to make a lovely ruin by 2000 CE - one which would inspire future writers to pursue their passions...

A/N: I would thoroughly love to live as an Ancient Greek fabulist. For now, I will have to settle as a 21st-century fabulist on Vocal! Hope you enjoyed this little ramble!

If you would like to read some of my fables, take a look at my account here on Vocal.

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