The Gray Hare by Leo Tolstoy, 1869
The magic trick:
Using anthropomorphism to share a message about community
Tolstoy wrote a lot of very short stories for children. They are simple and sweet, “The Gray Hare” especially so. I think for a lot of these old-fashioned kids stories, we just assume the moral will be solid. Sometimes – especially with the Brothers Grimm – the messages are kind of wild. Really dark stuff. The moral here, fear not, is wonderful. It’s original, too. The hare shows bravery in order to succeed. Nothing groundbreaking there. But what is success? Here, success means joining community. The hare wants to go play with his fellow hares. How nice. And yeah, maybe that’s not even all that original either. But in the era of Trump? It feels like a morality gift from the heavens. And that’s quite a trick on Tolstoy’s part.
The selection:
The hare also stopped, sat on his hind legs, and then proceeded at his leisure toward the threshing-floor.
On the way across the field he fell in with two other hares. They were nibbling and playing. The gray hare joined his mates, helped them clear away the icy snow, ate a few seeds of winter wheat, and then went on his way.
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Love “The Gray Hare” story and your comments about bravery and community; however, sadly, casting negativity with your Trump comment is not helping the well-being of the community. Just like so many classic authors, time will reveal the treasure that Trump has been to America. Have a blessed day!