Sanai's Fables

Movies

There is something timeless and culturally transcendent about fables. These enduring folktales often involve anthropomorphized creatures, plants, and forces of nature whose interactions serve to illustrate moral lessons. For centuries, humans have created and told these stories in order to entertain, enlighten, and to simply pass the time.

We are all probably familiar with fables such as the "Tortoise and the Hare" or "The Lion and the Mouse," along with their respective, proverbial lessons of how "slow and steady wins the race" or that "the least may help the greatest." As you can probably tell by the title of my project, my inspiration is indeed that of Aesop's Fables. The Ancient Greek storyteller's extensive stories of animals engaged and fascinated me as a child, as they still do to this today.

Another source of inspiration is that of my father, whose anecdotes revolving around his childhood in a small Ethiopian village provided me with an equal intrigue. Keeping these thoughts in mind, I wanted to craft my own fables drawing from my influences. In doing, I have created three short fables that riff on popular conceptions and superstions regarding the ibex, honey badger, and hyena.

Click on each animal to read a profile with an accompanying link to a fable or simply use the arrows to scroll as you like throughout this presentation. Enjoy!

Sanai's

Fables

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Ibex

Honey Badger

Hyena

Author's Note:

Ibex

Honey

Badger

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Hyenas don't have the most stellar reputations. They are often depicted in a negative light within popular folklore. In comparison to their "King of Jungle" rivals, the lion, they are seen as dim-witted, nefarious numbskulls (think Lion King). Not as fearless hunters, but as marauding scavengers. As a youngster, my father would curse the hyenas. He superstitiously believed that their characteristically high-pitched laughs were a ploy to masquerade as humans and prey on his family's livestock.

In reality, research has shown that hyenas are actually quite intelligent animals who work in packs to strategically take down prey. Rarely do they steal kill from other predators. In fact, it more typical of lions to steal food from them on most occasions.

So with that being said, check out this fable about a smart, young hyena named Kojo, titled, "Kojo and the Last Laugh." (Click "View Fable" button)

Known for being one of Africa's toughest animals, the honey badger seems to know no defeat and doesn't care what stands in its way. While its name implies its a badger species, this species of mustelids more closely resembes the likes of the wolverine, polecat, and weasel. However it has a coat of black fur with a grayish-white streak running from the top of its head to tail.

While the "badger" part of its name maybe misleading, the "honey" isn't. The honey badger is a mainly carnivorus animal that also has a sweet spot for beehives, which it fearlessly raids. On top of that, it's pretty normal for this animal to attack poisonous snakes and challenge much larger predators for their kill. It owes much its toughness to its thick hide and adaptive resistance to toxic snake venom. The honey badger indeed "doesn't care," like the one in this fable, "The Honey Badger and the Snake." (Click "View Fable" button)

Hyena

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The term ibex applies to various species of wild goats found throughout Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are easily identified by their long, curved horns, which males use to establish dominance and hierarchy through headbutting.

Ibexes are probably most known for their renowned climbing abilities. As dwellers of mountainous habitats, ibexes are adept climbers of steep, rugged terrain, and are able to survive harsh conditions with very little herbage.

In this particular fable, "Walia Climbs," we take a look at an ibex named Walia and her journey up a mountain (Click "View Fable" button).