Aesop's Fables - History, Links, Images & Popular Usages

Wikipedia - Aesop's Fables

Aesop's Fables or the Aesopica is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. Of diverse origins, the stories associated with his name have descended to modern times through a number of sources and continue to be reinterpreted in different verbal registers and in popular as well as artistic media.

The fables originally belonged to the oral tradition and were not collected for some three centuries after Aesop's death. By that time a variety of other stories, jokes and proverbs were being ascribed to him, although some of that material was from sources earlier than him or came from beyond the Greek cultural sphere. The process of inclusion has continued until the present, with some of the fables unrecorded before the later Middle Ages and others arriving from outside Europe. The process is continuous and new stories are still being added to the Aesop corpus, even when they are demonstrably more recent work and sometimes from known authors.

Manuscripts in Latin and Greek were important avenues of transmission, although poetical treatments in European vernaculars eventually formed another. On the arrival of printing, collections of Aesop's fables were among the earliest books in a variety of languages. Through the means of later collections, and translations or adaptations of them, Aesop's reputation as a fabulist was transmitted throughout the world.

Initially the fables were addressed to adults and covered religious, social and political themes. They were also put to use as ethical guides and from the Renaissance onwards were particularly used for the education of children. Their ethical dimension was reinforced in the adult world through depiction in sculpture, painting and other illustrative means, as well as adaptation to drama and song. In addition, there have been reinterpretations of the meaning of fables and changes in emphasis over time.

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The Wind and the Sun

The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveller coming down the road, and the Sun said: “I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveller to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger You begin.” So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveller. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveller wrap his cloak round him, till at last the Wind had to give up in despair. Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveller, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.

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Aesop’s Fables

http://bygosh.com/kids-classics/aesops-fables/

with clipart, and illustrations by Milo Winter

• The Hare and the Tortoise
• The Ant and the Grasshopper
• The Fox and the Crow
• The Shepherd Boy
• The Lion and the Mouse
• The Fox and the Grapes
• The Cat-Maiden
• The Miser and His Gold
• The Milkmaid and Her Pail
• The Bundle of Sticks
• Belling the Cat
• The Nurse and the Wolf
• Hercules and the Waggoner
• The Goose With the Golden Eggs
• The Crow and the Pitcher
• The Fisher and the Little Fish
• The Man and His Two Wives
• The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
• The Dog and the Reflection
• The Fox and the Lion
• The Man and the Wood

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Wikipedia List of some fables by Aesop

Titles A–L

• Aesop and the Ferryman
• The Ant and the Grasshopper
• The Ape and the Fox
• The Ass and his Masters
• The Ass and the Pig
• The Ass Carrying an Image
• The Ass in the Lion's Skin
• The Astrologer who Fell into a Well
• The Bird-catcher and the Blackbird
• The Bear and the Travelers
• The Beaver
• The Belly and the Other Members
• The Bird in Borrowed Feathers
• The Boy Who Cried Wolf
• The Cat and the Mice
• The Cock and the Jewel
• The Cock, the Dog and the Fox
• The Crow and the Pitcher
• The Crow and the Sheep
• The Crow and the Snake
• The Deer without a Heart
• The Dog and its Reflection
• The Dog and the Sheep
• The Dog and the Wolf
• The dogs and the lion's skin
• The Dove and the Ant
• The Eagle and the Beetle
• The Eagle and the Fox
• The Eagle Wounded by an Arrow
• The Farmer and his Sons
• The Farmer and the Sea
• The Farmer and the Stork
• The Farmer and the Viper
• The Fir and the Bramble
• The Fisherman and his Flute
• The Fisherman and the Little Fish
• The Fowler and the Snake
• The Fox and the Crow
• The Fox and the Grapes
• The Fox and the Mask
• The Fox and the Sick Lion
• The Fox and the Stork
• The Fox and the Weasel
• The Fox and the Woodman
• The Frightened Hares
• The Frog and the Mouse
• The Frog and the Ox
• The Frogs and the Sun
• The Frogs Who Desired a King
• The Goat and the Vine
• The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs
• The Hare in flight
• Hercules and the Wagoner
• The Honest Woodcutter
• Horkos, the god of oaths
• The Horse and the Donkey
• The Horse that Lost its Liberty
• The Impertinent Insect
• The Kite and the Doves
• The Lion and the Fox
• The Lion and the Mouse
• The Lion Grown Old
• The Lion in Love
• The Lion's Share
• The Lion, the Bear and the Fox
• The lion, the boar and the vultures

Titles M–Z

• The Man with two Mistresses
• The Mischievous Dog
• The Miser and his Gold
• Momus criticizes the creations of the gods
• The Mountain in Labour
• The Mouse and the Oyster
• The North Wind and the Sun
• The Oak and the Reed
• The Old Man and Death
• The Old Man and his Sons
• The Old Man and the Ass
• The Old Woman and the Doctor
• The Old Woman and the Wine-jar
• The Oxen and the Creaking Cart
• The Rivers and the Sea
• The Rose and the Amaranth
• The Satyr and the Traveller
• The Shipwrecked Man and the Sea
• The Sick Kite
• The Snake and the Crab
• The Snake and the Farmer
• The Snake in the Thorn Bush
• The Statue of Hermes
• The Swan and the Goose
• The Tortoise and the Birds
• The Tortoise and the Hare
• The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
• The Travellers and the Plane Tree
• The Trees and the Bramble
• The Trumpeter Taken Captive
• The Two Pots
• Venus and the Cat
• The Walnut Tree
• War and his Bride
• Washing the Ethiopian white
• The Wolf and the Crane
• The Wolf and the Lamb
• The Woodcutter and the Trees
• The Young Man and the Swallow
• Zeus and the Tortoise

Fables wrongly attributed to Aesop

• An ass eating thistles
• The Bear and the Bees
• The Bear and the Gardener
• Belling the cat (also known as The Mice in Council)
• The Blind Man and the Lame
• The Boy and the Filberts
• Chanticleer and the Fox
• The Dog in the Manger
• The drowned woman and her husband
• The Eel and the Snake
• The Elm and the Vine
• The Fox and the Cat
• The Gourd and the Palm-tree
• The Hawk and the Nightingale
• The Hare and many friends
• The Hedgehog and the Snake
• The Heron and the Fish
• Jumping from the frying pan into the fire
• The milkmaid and her pail
• The miller, his son and the donkey
• The Monkey and the Cat
• The Priest and the Wolf
• The Shepherd and the Lion
• Still waters run deep
• The Vultures and the Pigeons
• The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

http://fablesofaesop.com/perry-index


Wikipedia - The Perry Index

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Index

The Perry Index is a widely used index of "Aesop's Fables" or "Aesopica", the fables credited to Aesop, the storyteller who lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BC. Modern scholarship takes the view that Aesop probably did not compose all of the fables attributed to him; indeed, a few are known to have first been used before Aesop lived, while the first record we have of many others is from well over a millennium after his time. Traditionally, Aesop's fables were arranged alphabetically, which is not helpful to the reader. Perry and Rodriguez Adardos separated the Greek fables from the Latin ones, with the Greek ones first; then they arranged each group chronologically and by source; finally they arranged the fables alphabetically within these groups. This system also does not help the casual reader, but is the best for scholarly purposes.

Ben Edwin Perry (1892–1968) was a professor of classics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1924 to 1960. He was author of Studies in the Text History of the Life and Fables of Aesop and many other books. His Aesopica ("A Series of Texts Relating to Aesop Or Ascribed to Him Or Closely Connected with the Literal Tradition that Bears His Name") has become the definitive edition of all fables reputed to be by Aesop, with fables arranged by earliest known source. His index of fables has been used as a reference system by later authors.

Additional Reference Material - The Perry Index in Full

Go to the bottom of this article for a complete Wikipedia list

of the Perry Index with links back to Wikipedia describing

the fable and citing the verse in Greek, Latin, and English.

Other Reference Links to The Perry Index

Perry Index of Aesop's Fables - List

http://fablesofaesop.com/perry-index

Perry Index of Aesop's Fables - Home Page

http://fablesofaesop.com/

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19 Everyday Expressions That Came from Aesop

http://mentalfloss.com/article/58530/19-everyday-expressions-came-aesop

By Craig S. Baker

September 3, 2014

Aesop: We’ve all heard the name, and most of us are familiar with at least a few of his fables with the anthropomorphized animals facing extremely unrealistic yet entertaining dilemmas.

There is no concrete evidence that the ancient Greek moralist and former slave we call Aesop ever wrote down any of his stories (in fact, it was several centuries after Aesop’s purported death that the first collection of his fables appeared), nor is there even proof that he actually existed at all. But the wisdom and warnings offered up by the morals of his many popular tales have survived more than two millennia, weaseling their way into the English language as common everyday expressions. Here are a handful of Aesop’s most popular contributions that we still use today, along with a taste of the stories that spawned them:

1. “Quality, not quantity.”—From “The Lioness and the Vixen”

A mother fox and lioness were boasting to each other about their young when the fox pointed out that where she gave birth to a litter of cubs each time, the lioness had only one. “But that one is a lion,” responded the lioness. Checkmate.

2. “Honesty is the best policy.”—From the tale “Mercury and the Woodsman”

A woodsman lost his axe in a river and Mercury (the one with the wings on his shoes) appeared to retrieve it. Mercury offered the woodsman an axe made of silver and another made of gold before offering the man his own and, since the man admitted that the first two were not his, he was given all three axes as a reward. When a friend heard this story, he dropped his own axe into the same river. Smart. Mercury appeared again but this time the friend claimed the golden axe as his own, which disgusted the god so much that he returned all three tools back to the bottom of the river, leaving the man empty-handed.

3. “Pride comes before a fall.”—From “The Eagle and the Cockerels”

Two cocks were fighting for control of a roost. When it was over, the loser of the battle went and hid himself in a dark corner while the winner climbed atop the barn and began to crow where he was promptly snatched up by a hungry eagle. The emo rooster was cock of the walk thereafter despite his excessive use of eyeliner.

4. “Revenge is a Two-Edged Sword.”—From “The Farmer and the Fox”

A farmer was fed up with a fox prowling his hen house at night and so set out for revenge. He trapped the fox and tied some tinder to his tail which he then set ablaze. In a panic, the fox set off at a run and, making his way through the farmer’s corn field, burned the farmer’s entire harvest to the ground.

5. “Don’t make much ado about nothing,” or “Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.”—From “The Mountain in Labor”.

It would seem that even Shakespeare gave props to Aesop. In this tale, a mountain was groaning and appeared ready to burst and so attracted a great crowd, all of them anticipating some incredible tragedy. Finally, at the peak of this activity, from out of the mound surfaced a mouse, and for some reason everyone was completely disappointed despite the most likely alternative having been a volcanic eruption.

6. “It’s easy to kick a man when he’s down.”—From “The Dogs and the Fox”.

A fox came across some dogs gnawing on a lion skin and said (paraphrased) “that lion would kill you all if it wasn’t dead already.”

7. To take the “lion’s share.”—From “The Lion, the Fox, and the Ass”

A lion, a fox, and an ass went hunting together and set to divide the spoils of their efforts between them. First, the ass divided the goods into three even piles, at which point the lion attacked and devoured him, then asked the fox to divide the food. The fox, taking a lesson from the ass, gave the lion nearly all of the game and set aside a meager portion for himself, which pleased the lion, who then allowed the fox to live. Another lesson gleaned from this tale? "Happy is the man who learns from the misfortunes of others."

8. “Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.”—From “The Milkmaid and Her Pail”

A farmer’s daughter was musing about the value of the milk she carried in the pail atop her head and began planning to use the profits to buy enough eggs to start a poultry farm. Eventually, her wild mind led her to ponder using the spoils of her poultry farm to buy a fancy gown for the fair. As the girl imagined how the boys would flock to her in her sparkling new duds she tossed her hair, sending the pail of milk and all of her dreams to the dirt below.

9. “Necessity is the mother of invention.”—From “The Crow and the Pitcher”

A thirsty crow happened upon a tall pitcher, inside of which was a small quantity of water that he could not reach. The crow, apparently a genius bird, gathered a crop of stones and dropped them one by one into the pitcher until the water level had was high enough for him to drink. Ahh.

10. “Look before you leap.”—From “The Fox and the Goat”

A fox found himself trapped in a well and so he coaxed a goat down with him into the water below. When the goat reached the bottom of the well the fox climbed on his back and out of his prison, leaving the goat to suffer his fate alone.

11. “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”—From “The Hawk and the Nightingale”

A nightingale was caught in the talons of a hawk and pled for his life, saying that the hawk ought to let him go and pursue much larger birds that might have a better shot at slaking his hunger. “I should indeed have lost my senses,” said the hawk, “If I should let go food ready to my hand, for the sake of pursuing birds which are not yet even within sight.” And he ate him.

12. “One good turn deserves another.”—From “The Serpent and the Eagle”

A snake and an eagle were locked in a life-and-death battle when a countryman came upon them and freed the eagle from the serpent’s grasp. As retribution, the snake spat venom into the man’s drinking horn and, as he went to drink, the grateful eagle knocked the poisoned drink from his hand and onto the ground below. The man was probably just ticked about his drink, though, if you think about it. Unless he spoke eagle.

13. “Fair weather friends are not much worth.”—From “The Swallow and the Crow”

In the story, a swallow and crow were arguing over who had the superior plumage when the crow ended the discussion by pointing out that, though the swallow’s feathers were pretty, his kept him from freezing during the winter. The crow then dropped the mic and walked off the stage.

14. To have “sour grapes”.—From “The Fox and the Grapes”

A fox came across a bunch of grapes hanging from a trellis high above but, try as he might, he just couldn’t reach them. As he gave up on the fruit and began to walk away, he said to himself, “I thought those grapes were ripe, but I see now they are quite sour.” It's easy to disparage something you can't attain.

15. “Slow and steady wins the race.”—From “The Hare and the Tortoise”

Stop me if you’ve heard this one...You have? So you know the turtle wins the race despite the hare's incredible speed? Thought so. Moving on, then.

16. “Birds of a feather flock together.”—From “The Farmer and the Stork”

When a flock of cranes descended on a farmer’s newly seeded field, he cast a net with the intention of trapping and killing them all. In the process, the farmer gathered a single stork along with the cranes, who naturally pleaded for his life, citing his noble character and pointing out that his plumage was different from his cohorts. The farmer, however, was not moved and, since the stork had seen fit to take up with the scoundrel cranes, he did him in with the other birds all the same.

17. “Nip evil in the bud.”—From “The Thief and His Mother”

When a woman failed to discipline her son for stealing a book from a schoolmate, he continued to up the ante and was eventually caught and hung. As the woman cried about her son’s fate, a neighbor basically rubbed it in her face by pointing out that if she’d put a stop to his thieving ways long before he never would have been executed.

18. “A man is known by the company he keeps.”—From “The Ass and His Purchaser”

A man looking to purchase an ass took one home on a trial basis and released him in the pasture with his other donkeys. When the new addition took an instant liking to the laziest ass of the bunch, the farmer yoked him up and led him straight back to the vendor, saying that he expected the new donkey would probably just turn out as worthless as his choice of companion.

19. “Out of the frying pan, into the fire.”—From “The Stag and the Lion”

No surprise ending here—a stag took refuge in a cave to hide from a pack of dogs that were on his trail only to find something much worse inside: a lion. Not quite sure how anyone can take anything from this particular fable except maybe ‘Keep yourself out of strange caves if you don’t want to get eaten by a lion.’ Still, it’s pretty sound advice.

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The Perry Index

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Index

Perry 1–100

Perry 1. Eagle and Fox

Perry 2. Eagle, Jackdaw and Shepherd

Perry 3. Eagle and Beetle

Perry 4. Hawk and Nightingale

Perry 5. The Athenian Debtor

Perry 6. The Goatherd and the Wild Goats

Perry 7. Cat as Physician and the Hens

Perry 8. Aesop at the Shipyard

Perry 9. The Fox and the Goat in the Well

Perry 10. Fox and Lion

Perry 11. The Fisherman Pipes to the Fish

Perry 12. Fox and Leopard

Perry 13. The Fisherman

Perry 14. The Ape boasting to the Fox about his Ancestry

Perry 15. The Fox and the Grapes out of Reach

Perry 16. The Cat and the Cock

Perry 17. The Fox without a Tail

Perry 18. The Fisherman and the Little Fish

Perry 19. The Fox and the Thornbush

Perry 20. Fox and Crocodile

Perry 21. The Fishermen and the Tunny

Perry 22. The Fox and the Woodcutter

Perry 23. Cocks and Partridge

Perry 24. The Fox with the Swollen Belly

Perry 25. The Halcyon

Perry 26. A Fisherman

Perry 27. The Fox looks at the Actor's Mask

Perry 28. The Cheater

Perry 29. The Charcoal Dealer and the Fuller

Perry 30. The Shipwrecked Man - noticed under Hercules and the Wagoner

Perry 31. The Middle-aged Man and his Two Mistresses

Perry 32. The Murderer

Perry 33. The Braggart

Perry 34. Impossible Promises

Perry 35. The Man and the Satyr

Perry 36. Evil-wit

Perry 37. A Blind Man

Perry 38. The Ploughman and the Wolf

Perry 39. The Wise Swallow

Perry 40. The Astrologer

Perry 41. Fox and Lamb

Perry 42. The Farmer's Bequest to his Sons

Perry 43. Two Frogs

Perry 44. The Frogs ask Zeus for a King

Perry 45. The Oxen and the Squeaking-Axle

Perry 46. The North Wind and the Sun

Perry 47. The Boy with the Stomach-Ache

Perry 48. The Nightingale and the Bat

Perry 49. The Herdsman who lost a Calf

Perry 50. The Weasel and Aphrodite

Perry 51. The Farmer and the Snake

Perry 52. The Farmer and his Dogs

Perry 53. The Farmer's Sons

Perry 54. The Snails in the Fire

Perry 55. The Woman and her Overworked Maidservants

Perry 56. The Witch

Perry 57. The Old Woman and the Thieving Physician

Perry 58. The Overfed Hen (noticed under The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs)

Perry 59. Weasel and File

Perry 60. The Old Man and Death

Perry 61. Fortune and the Farmer

Perry 62. The Dolphins at War and the Gudgeon (or Crab)

Perry 63. Demades the Orator

Perry 64. The Wrong Remedy for Dog-bite

Perry 65. The Travellers and the Bear

Perry 66. The Youngsters in the Butcher's Shop

Perry 67. The Wayfarers who Found an Axe

Perry 68. The Enemies

Perry 69. Two Frogs were Neighbours

Perry 70. The Oak and the Reed

Perry 71. The Timid and Covetous Man who found a Lion made of Gold

Perry 72. The Beekeeper

Perry 73. The Ape and the Dolphin

Perry 74. The Stag at the Fountain

Perry 75. The One-eyed Stag

Perry 76. The Stag and the Lion in a Cave

Perry 77. The Stag and the Vine

Perry 78. The Passengers at Sea

Perry 79. Cat and Mice

Perry 80. The Flies in the Honey

Perry 81. The Ape and the Fox

Perry 82. Ass, Cock, and Lion

Perry 83. The Ape and the Camel

Perry 84. The Two Beetles

Perry 85. The Pig and the Sheep

Perry 86. The Thrush

Perry 87. The Goose that laid the Golden Eggs

Perry 88. Hermes and the Statuary

Perry 89. Hermes and Tiresias

Perry 90. Viper and Watersnake

Perry 91. The Ass who would be Playmate to his Master

Perry 92. The Two Dogs

Perry 93. The Viper and the File

Perry 94. The Father and his Two Daughters

Perry 95. The Ill-tempered Wife

Perry 96. Viper and Fox

Perry 97. The Young Goat and the Wolf as Musicians

Perry 98. The Kid on the House-top and the Wolf

Perry 99. A Statue of Hermes on Sale

Perry 100. Zeus, Prometheus, Athena and Momus

Perry 101–200

Perry 101. The Jackdaw in Borrowed Feathers

Perry 102. Hermes and Earth

Perry 103. Hermes and the Artisans

Perry 104. Zeus and Apollo, a Contest in Archery

Perry 105. Man's Years

Perry 106. Zeus and the Tortoise

Perry 107. Zeus and the Fox

Perry 108. Zeus and Man

Perry 109. Zeus and Shame

Perry 110. The Hero

Perry 111. Heracles and Plutus

Perry 112. Ant and Beetle

Perry 113. The Tunny and the Dolphin

Perry 114. The Physician at the Funeral

Perry 115. The Fowler and the Asp

Perry 116. The Crab and the Fox

Perry 117. The Camel who wanted Horns

Perry 118. The Beaver

Perry 119. The Gardener watering his Vegetables

Perry 120. The Gardener and his Dog

Perry 121. The Cithara Player

Perry 122. The Thieves and the Cock

Perry 123. The Jackdaw and the Crows

Perry 124. Fox and Crow

Perry 125. The Crow and the Raven

Perry 126. Jackdaw and Fox

Perry 127. The Crow and the Dog

Perry 128. The Crow and the Snake

Perry 129. The Jackdaw and the Pigeons

Perry 130. The Stomach and the Feet

Perry 131. The Jackdaw fleeing from Captivity

Perry 132. The Dog who would chase a Lion

Perry 133. The Dog with the Meat and his Shadow

Perry 134. The Sleeping Dog and the Wolf

Perry 135. The Famished Dogs

Perry 136. The Dog and the Hare

Perry 137. The Gnat and the Bull

Perry 138. The Hares and the Frogs

Perry 139. The Sea-gull and the Kite

Perry 140. The Lion in Love

Perry 141. The Lion and the Frog

Perry 142. The Aged Lion and the Fox

Perry 143. The Lion and the Bull invited to Dinner

Perry 144. The Lion in the Farmer's Yard

Perry 145. Lion and Dolphin

Perry 146. The Lion startled by a Mouse

Perry 147. Lion and Bear

Perry 148. The Lion and the Hare

Perry 149. The Lion, Ass, and Fox

Perry 150. The Lion and the Mouse

Perry 151. The Lion and the Ass Hunting

Perry 152. The Brigand and the Mulberry Tree

Perry 153. The Wolves and the Sheep

Perry 154. The Wolf and the Horse

Perry 155. The Wolf and the Lamb

Perry 156. The Wolf and the Heron

Perry 157. The Wolf and the Goat

Perry 158. The Wolf and the Old Woman Nurse

Perry 159. Wolf and Sheep (Three True Statements)

Perry 160. The Disabled Wolf and the Sheep

Perry 161. The Fortune-teller

Perry 162. The Baby and the Crow

Perry 163. Zeus and the Bees

Perry 164. The Mendicant Priests

Perry 165. Battle of the Mice and Cats

Perry 166. The Ant (noticed under The Ant and the Grasshopper)

Perry 167. The Fly

Perry 168. The Shipwrecked Man

Perry 169. The Prodigal Young Man and the Swallow

Perry 170. Physician and Sick Man

Perry 171. Bat, Thorn Bush, and Gull

Perry 172. The Bat and the Two Weasels

Perry 173. Hermes and the Woodcutter

Perry 174. Fortune and the Traveller by the Well

Perry 175. The Travellers and the Plane Tree

Perry 176. The Man who warmed a Snake

Perry 177. The Driftwood on the Sea

Perry 178. The Traveller's Offering to Hermes

Perry 179. The Ass and Gardener

Perry 180. The Ass with a Burden of Salt

Perry 181. The Ass and the Mule

Perry 182. The Ass carrying the Image of a God

Perry 183. The Wild Ass and the Tame Ass (noticed under The Dog and the Wolf)

Perry 184. The Ass and the Cicadas

Perry 185. The Donkeys make a Petition to Zeus

Perry 186. The Ass and his Driver

Perry 187. The Wolf as Physician

Perry 188. Ass in Lion's Skin

Perry 189. The Ass and the Frogs

Perry 190. Ass, Crow, and Wolf

Perry 191. The Fox betrays the Ass

Perry 192. The Hen and the Swallow

Perry 193. The Fowler and the Lark

Perry 194. The Fowler and the Stork

Perry 195. The Camel seen for the First Time (noticed under The Lion and the Fox)

Perry 196. The Snake and the Crab

Perry 197. Snake, Weasel and Mice

Perry 198. Zeus and the Downtrodden Snake

Perry 199. The Boy and the Scorpion

Perry 200. The Thief and his Mother

Perry 201–300

Perry 201. The Pigeon and the Picture

Perry 202. The Pigeon and the Crow

Perry 203. The Ape and the Fisherman

Perry 204. The Rich Man and the Tanner

Perry 205. The Hired Mourners

Perry 206. Shepherd and Dog

Perry 207. The Shepherd and the Sea

Perry 208. The Shepherd and his Sheep

Perry 209. The Shepherd and the Young Wolves

Perry 210. The Shepherd who cried "Wolf!" in Jest

Perry 211. The Boy bathing in the River

Perry 212. The Sheep unskilfully Sheared

Perry 213. Pomegranate, Apple Tree, and Bramble

Perry 214. The Mole

Perry 215. The Wasps and the Partridges

Perry 216. The Wasp and the Snake

Perry 217. The Bull and the Wild Goats

Perry 218. The Ape's Twin Offspring

Perry 219. The Peacock and the Jackdaw

Perry 220. Camel and Elephant, Candidates for King

Perry 221. Zeus and the Snake

Perry 222. The Sow and the Bitch

Perry 223. A Dispute concerning Fecundity

Perry 224. The Wild Boar and the Fox

Perry 225. The Miser and his Gold

Perry 226. The Tortoise and the Hare

Perry 227. The Swallow nesting on the Courthouse

Perry 228. The Geese and the Cranes

Perry 229. The Swallow and the Crow

Perry 230. The Turtles takes Lessons from the Eagle

Perry 231. The Athlete and the Flea

Perry 232. The Foxes at the Meander River

Perry 233. The Swan and his Owner (noticed under The Swan and the Goose)

Perry 234. The Wolf and the Shepherd (Referenced under The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing)

Perry 235. The Ant and the Dove

Perry 236. The Travellers and the Crow

Perry 237. A Donkey Bought on Approval

Perry 238. The Fowler and the Pigeons

Perry 239. The Depositary and the god Horkos (Oath)

Perry 240. Prometheus and Men

Perry 241. Cicada and Fox

Perry 242. The Hyena and the Fox

Perry 243. The Hyenas

Perry 244. The Parrot and the Cat (Partridge and Cat)

Perry 245. The Timid Soldier and the Crows

Perry 246. The Wife and her Drunken Husband

Perry 247. Diogenes on a Journey

Perry 248. Diogenes and the Bald Man

Perry 249. The Dancing Camel

Perry 250. The Nut Tree

Perry 251. The Lark

Perry 252. The Dog, the Rooster, and the Fox

Perry 253. Dog and Shellfish

Perry 254. Dog and Butcher

Perry 255. Mosquito and Lion

Perry 256. Hares and Foxes

Perry 257. Lioness and Fox

Perry 258. The Sick Lion, the Wolf, and Fox

Perry 259. The Lion, Prometheus and the Elephant

Perry 260. The Wolf admiring his Shadow

Perry 261. The Wolf and the Lamb

Perry 262. The Trees and the Olive

Perry 263. The Ass and the Mule

Perry 264. The Ass and his Fellow Traveller the Dog

Perry 265. The Fowler and the Partridge

Perry 266. The Two Wallets

Perry 267. The Shepherd and the Wolf that he brought up with his Dogs (Referenced under The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing)

Perry 268. The Caterpillar and the Snake (Referenced under The Frog and the Ox)

Perry 269. The Wild Boar, the Horse, and the Hunter

Perry 270. The Wall and the Stake

Perry 271. Winter and Spring

Perry 272. Man and Flea

Perry 273. The Flea and the Ox

Perry 274. Good Things and Evil

Perry 275. The Eagle who had his Wings Cropped

Perry 276. The Eagle Wounded by an Arrow

Perry 277. The Nightingale and the Swallow

Perry 278. The Athenian and the Theban

Perry 279. The Goat and the Ass

Perry 280. Goat and Goatherd

Perry 281. The Fighting Cocks

Perry 282. Little Fish escape the Net

Perry 283. The Fire-Bearing Fox

Perry 284. The Man and the Lion travelling together

Perry 285. The Man who broke a Statue of Hermes

Perry 286. Spider and Lizard

Perry 287. The Arab and his Camel

Perry 288. The Bear and the Fox

Perry 289. The Frog Physician

Perry 290. The Oxen and the Butchers

Perry 291. The Ox-driver and Heracles

Perry 292. Ox and Ass Ploughing

Perry 293. The Weasel Caught

Perry 294. The Crane and the Peacock

Perry 295. The Farmer who lost his Mattock

Perry 296. The Farmer and the Eagle

Perry 297. Farmer and Cranes

Perry 298. Farmer and Starlings

Perry 299. The Farmer and the Tree

Perry 300. The Steer and the Bull

Perry 301–400

Perry 301. The Slave Girl and Aphrodite

Perry 302. The Oak Trees and Zeus - noticed under The Woodcutter and the Trees

Perry 303. The Woodcutters and the Pine

Perry 304. The Fir Tree and the Thistle

Perry 305. The Sick Stag and his Friends

Perry 306. Hermes and a Man bitten by an Ant

Perry 307. Hermes and the Sculptor

Perry 308. The Dog and the Square-hewn Statue of Hermes

Perry 309. Hermes with a Wagon full of Lies among the Arabs

Perry 310. The Eunuch and the Soothsayer

Perry 311. Zeus, the Animals, and Men

Perry 312. Zeus and the Jar full of Good Things

Perry 313. The Judgments of Zeus

Perry 314. The Frogs and the Sun

Perry 315. The Mule

Perry 316. Heracles and Athena

Perry 317. The Unskilled Physician

Perry 318. The Old Race Horse in the Mill

Perry 319. The Horse and his Groom

Perry 320. The Soldier and his Horse

Perry 321. The Camel in the River

Perry 322. The Crab and his Mother (noticed under The Snake and the Crab)

Perry 323. The Crow and Hermes

Perry 324. The Sick Crow and his Mother

Perry 325. The Lark and the Farmer

Perry 326. The Timid Hunter

Perry 327. The Hunter and the Fisherman

Perry 328. The Dog at the Banquet

Perry 329. The Hunting Dog

Perry 330. The Dog and his Master

Perry 331. Dog and Hare

Perry 332. The Dog with a Bell on his Neck

Perry 333. The Rabbit and the Fox

Perry 334. The Lion's Reign

Perry 335. The Lion and the Eagle

Perry 336. Sick Lion, Fox, and Stag, referenced in The Deer without a Heart

Perry 337. Lion, Fox, and Ape

Perry 338. The Lion and the Boar

Perry 339. Lion and Wild Ass, Partners in the Hunt

Perry 340. The Lion and the Bowman

Perry 341. The Mad Lion

Perry 342. The Wolves and the Dogs

Perry 343. The Wolves and the Dogs at War

Perry 344. A Wolf among the Lions

Perry 345. The Wolf and the Fox at a Trap

Perry 346. The Wolf and the Well-fed Dog

Perry 347. Wolf and Lion

Perry 348. The Wolf as Governor and the Ass

Perry 349. The Lamp

Perry 350. Adulterer and Husband

Perry 351. The Calf and the Deer

Perry 352. The Country Mouse and the City Mouse

Perry 353. The Mouse and the Bull

Perry 354. The Mouse and the Blacksmiths

Perry 355. The Wayfarer and Truth

Perry 356. The Sheep and the Dog

Perry 357. The Ass that envied the Horse

Perry 358. The Ass in the Lion's Skin

Perry 359. The Donkey on the Tiles

Perry 360. The Ass eating Thorns

Perry 361. The Fowler, the Partridge and the Cock

Perry 362. The Snake's Tail and the Other Members

Perry 363. The Boy and the Painted Lion

Perry 364. The Ape Mother and Zeus

Perry 365. The Shepherd about to enclose a Wolf in the Fold

Perry 366. The Shepherd who reared a Wolf

Perry 367. War and Insolence

Perry 368. The Hide in the River

Perry 369. The Rose and the Amaranth

Perry 370. The Trumpeter

Perry 371. The Lizard and the Snake (Referenced under The Frog and the Ox)

Perry 372. Three Bulls and a Lion

Perry 373. The Cicada and the Ant

Perry 374. The Goat and the Vine

Perry 375. The Baldheaded Horseman

Perry 376. The Toad puffing herself up to equal an Ox

Perry 377. The Boasting Swallow and the Crow

Perry 378. The Two Pots

Perry 379. The Man enamoured of his own Daughter

Perry 380. The Man who evacuated his own Wits

Perry 381. The Aged Farmer and the Donkeys

Perry 382. The Ancestors of the Delphians

Perry 383. The Two Roads

Perry 384. The Frog and the Mouse

Perry 385. Dreams

Perry 386. The Foolish Girl

Perry 387. The Poor Man catching Insects

Perry 388. The Widow and the Ploughman

Perry 389. The Cat's Birthday Dinner

Perry 390. The Crow and the Pitcher

Perry 391. The Landlord and the Sailors

Perry 392. The Sick Donkey and the Wolf Physician

Perry 393. The Aethiopian

Perry 394. The Fox as Helper to the Lion

Perry 395. The Serpent and the Eagle

Perry 396. The Kites and the Swans

Perry 397. The Fowler and the Cicada

Perry 398. The Crow and the Swan (noticed under Washing the Ethiopian white)

Perry 399. The Swan that was caught instead of a Goose

Perry 400. The Bees and the Shepherd

Perry 401–500

Perry 401. The Foal

Perry 402. The Hunter and the Horseman

Perry 403. The Hunter and the Dog

Perry 404. Hunter and Wolf

Perry 405. Cyclops

Perry 406. Dogs tearing a Lion's Skin

Perry 407. A Dog, chasing a Wolf

Perry 408. A Thirsty Rabbit descended into a Well

Perry 409. The Fox and the Lion in a Cage

Perry 410. The Youth and the Woman

Perry 411. The Onager and the Ass (noticed under The Dog and the Wolf)

Perry 412. The Rivers and the Sea

Perry 413. The Fig and the Olive

Perry 414. The Bull, Lioness, and the Wild Boar

Perry 415. The Dog and the Smiths

Perry 416. A Bear, a Fox, and a Lion hunted together

Perry 417. A Wolf and Lycophron

Perry 418. The Ostrich

Perry 419. The Thief and the Innkeeper

Perry 420. The Two Adulterers

Perry 421. The Sailor and his Son

Perry 422. The Eagle once a Man

Perry 423. Aesop and the Bitch

Perry 424. Aesop to the Corinthians

Perry 425. The Fisherman and the Octopus

Perry 426. Fox and Crane

Perry 427. Fox and Hedgehog

Perry 428. The Sybarite and the Chariot

Perry 429. The Man who tried to count the Waves

Perry 430. The Creation of Man

Perry 431. Man's Loquacity

Perry 432. Apollo, the Muses and the Dryads

Perry 433. Aphrodite and the Merchant

Perry 434. The Wren on the Eagle's Back

Perry 435. The Black Cat

Perry 436. The Priest of Cybele and the Lion

Perry 437. The Owl and the Birds

Perry 438. The Sybarite Woman and the Jug

Perry 439. The Laurel and the Olive

Perry 440. The Runaway Slave

Perry 441. The Feast Day and the Day After

Perry 442. The Origin of Blushes

Perry 443. Heron and Buzzard

Perry 444. Eros among Men

Perry 445. Pleasure and Pain

Perry 446. The Cuckoo and the Little Birds

Perry 447. The Crested Lark, burying her Father

Perry 448. The Musical Dogs

Perry 449. The Dog's House

Perry 450. The Lions and the Hares

Perry 451. The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Perry 452. The Wolf and the Ass on Trial

Perry 453. The Wolf and the Shepherds

Perry 454. The Mouse and the Oyster

Perry 455. Momus and Aphrodite

Perry 456. The Fool and the Sieve

Perry 457. The Boy on the Wild Horse

Perry 458. The Ass and the Snake called Dipsas

Perry 459. The Peeping of an Ass

Perry 460. The Shadow of an Ass

Perry 461. The Eyes and the Mouth

Perry 462. The Privilege of Grief

Perry 463. The Dancing Apes

Perry 464. The Apes Founding a City

Perry 465. The Shepherd and the Butcher

Perry 466. Plenty and Poverty

Perry 467. The Satyr and Fire

Perry 468. The Moon and her Mother

Perry 469. The Bull deceived by the Lion

Perry 470. The Cicadas

Perry 471. The Lice and the Farmer

Perry 472. The Vainglorious Jackdaw and the Peacock

Perry 473. The Sparrow gives Advice to the Hare

Perry 474. The Wolf and the Fox before Judge Ape

Perry 475. From Cobbler to Physician

Perry 476. What the Ass said to the Old Shepherd

Perry 477. Sheep, Stag, and Wolf

Perry 478. Sheep, Dog, and Wolf

Perry 479. Woman in Childbirth

Perry 480. Dog and her Puppies

Perry 481. The Old Lion, the Boar, the Bull, and the Ass

Perry 482. The Dogs and the Crocodiles

Perry 483. The Dog, the Treasure and the Vulture

Perry 484. The Ass insults the Boar

Perry 485. The Frogs Dread the Battle of the Bulls

Perry 486. The Kite and the Doves

Perry 487. The Bullock, the Lion, and the Robber

Perry 488. The Eagle, the Cat, and the Wild Sow

Perry 489. Caesar to a Flunkey

Perry 490. The Eagle and the Crow

Perry 491. The Two Mules and the Robbers

Perry 492. The Stag and the Oxen

Perry 493. What the Old Woman said to the Wine Jar

Perry 494. The Panther and the Shepherds

Perry 495. Aesop and the Farmer

Perry 496. The Butcher and the Ape

Perry 497. Aesop and the Saucy Fellow

Perry 498. The Fly and the Mule

Perry 499. Brother and Sister

Perry 500. Socrates to his Friends

Perry 501–584

Perry 501. On Believing and Not Believing

Perry 502. The Eunuch's Reply to the Scurrilous Person

Perry 503. The Cockerel and the Pearl

Perry 504. The Bees and the Drones get Judgment from the Easp

Perry 505. Concerning Relaxation and Tension

Perry 506. The Dog to the Lamb

Perry 507. The Cicada and the Owl

Perry 508. Trees under the Patronage of the Gods

Perry 509. The Peacock complains to Juno about his Voice

Perry 510. Aesop's Reply to an Inquisitive Fellow

Perry 511. The Weasel and the Mice - Noticed under The Cat and the Mice

Perry 512. The Enigmatic Will

Perry 513. The Thief and his Lamp

Perry 514. The Rule of King Lion

Perry 515. Prometheus

Perry 516. The Bearded She-Goats

Perry 517. The Dogs send an Embassy to Jupiter

Perry 518. The Fox and the Dragon

Perry 519. About Simonides

Perry 520. The Mountain in Labour

Perry 521. The Ant and the Fly

Perry 522. How Simonides was saved by the Gods

Perry 523. King Demetrius and the Poet Menander

Perry 524. Two Soldiers and a Robber

Perry 525. The Bald Man and the Fly

Perry 526. The Ass and the Pig's Barley

Perry 527. The Buffoon and the Country Fellow

Perry 528. Two Bald Men

Perry 529. Prince, the Fluteplayer

Perry 530. Time (Opportunity)

Perry 531. The Bull and the Calf

Perry 532. The Old Dog and the Hunter

Perry 533. The Ape and the Fox

Perry 534. Mercury and the Two Women

Perry 535. Prometheus and Guile

Perry 536. On Apollo's Oracle

Perry 537. Aesop and the Writer

Perry 538. Pompey and his Soldier

Perry 539. Juno, Venus, and the Hen

Perry 540. The Bullock and the Old Ox

Perry 541. Aesop and the Victorious Athlete

Perry 542. The Ass and the Lyre

Perry 543. The Widow and the Soldier

Perry 544. The Two Suitors

Perry 545. Aesop and the his Mistress

Perry 546. The Cock carried in a litter by Cats

Perry 547. The Sow giving birth and the Wolf

Perry 548. Aesop and the Runaway Slave

Perry 549. The Race Horse

Perry 550. When the Bear gets Hungry

Perry 551. The Traveller and the Raven

Perry 552. The Snake and the Lizard

Perry 553. The Crow and the Sheep

Perry 554. Socrates and a Worthless Servant

Perry 555. The Harlot and the Young Man

Perry 556. The Butterfly and the Wasp

Perry 557. The Ground-Swallow and the Fox

Perry 558. Two Cocks and a Hawk

Perry 559. The Snail and the Mirror

Perry 560. The Bald Man and the Gardener

Perry 561. The Owl, the Cat, and the Mouse

Perry 562. The Partridge and the Fox (The Rooster and the Fox)

Perry 563. The Lion and the Shepherd

Perry 564. The Gnat and the Bull

Perry 565. The Disdainful Horse

Perry 566. The Bat

Perry 567. The Nightingale and the Hawk

Perry 568. The Envious Fox and the Wolf

Perry 569. The King of the Apes

Perry 570. The Goose and the Stork

Perry 571. The Obliging Horse

Perry 572. The Kid and the Wolf

Perry 573. The Domestic Snake

Perry 574. The Eagle and the Kite

Perry 575. The Wethers and the Butcher

Perry 576. The Fowler and the Birds

Perry 577. The Crow and the other Birds at Dinner

Perry 578. The Horse, the Lion and the Goats

Perry 579. The Sword and the Passer-by

Perry 580. The Covetous Man and the Envious Man

Perry 581. The Boy and the Thief

Perry 582. The Farmer and his Ox

Perry 583. The Pig without a Heart, referenced in The Deer without a Heart

Perry 584. The River-fish and the Sea-fish

Extended Perry

Paulus Diaconus

585. Sick Lion, Fox and Bear. cf. 258

586. Calf and Stork

587. Flea and Gout

Odo of Cheriton

588. Hawk and Doves

589. Bird of Saint Martin

590. Stork and his Beak (Magpie and her Tail)

591. Toad and Beautiful Son

592. Cat as Monk

593. Fox and Wolf in Well

594. Cat, Rat, and Cheese

595. Isengrim as Monk

596. Complaint of Sheep against Wolf

597. Fox Confesses Sins to Rooster

598. Wasp and Spier

599. Eagle and Crow Physician

600. Donkey and Pig

601. Hen, Chicks and Kite

602. Dinner at the Lion's House

603. Goose and Crow

604. Kite Imitates Hawk

605. Fox and Cat

606. Crow and Dove (cf. 567)

607. Wolf's Funeral

608. Dirty Dog

609. Man and Unicorn

610. Fox and Ferryman

611. Fox and Hens

612. Falcon and Kite

613. Belling the Cat

614. Owl and Birds

615. Mouse in Wine Jar and Cat

616. Hare Contends with Wolf

617. Serpent in Man's Bostom

618. Ungrateful Man

619. Mouse in quest of Mate

620. Stork and Serpent

621. Peacock stripped of Feathers

622. Toad and Frog

623. Athenian Philosopher / Goat and Donkey

624. Aged Father and Cruel Son

625. Wolf as Fisherman and Fox

626. Cuckoo and Eagle

627. Nightingale and Bowman

628. Wolf Confessor to Fox and Donkey

629. Rustic Invited to Dinner

630. Rustic Reared in Cow Barn

631. King of Greece and his Brother

632. Julian the Apostate and a Demon

633. Man Condemned to be Hanged

634. Philosopher who spit in King's Beard

635. Judgments of God revealed by Angel

636. Wolf and Sheep Kissing Each Other

637. Tame Asp

638. Ass with Privilege, Fox and Wolf

639. Eagle and Rat

640. Soldier and Serpent / Dragon and Peasant

641. Wolf and Priest

642. Soldier and Religious Man

643. Ape and Merchant

John of Schepey

644. Buzzard and hawk

645. Lion and unicorn

Metrical

646. Capon and hawk

647. Merchant and wife

Neckham

648. Vulture and eagle

Rhymed verse

649. Stag, hedgehog and boar

Robert's Romulus

650. Presumptuous beetle

651. Rustic and his wife

652. Cuckoo and birds

653. Farmer sold his horse

654. Eagle, hawk and crane

655. Wolf fasting for Lent

656. Swallow and sparrows

657. Cattle hauling dung

658. Hare wanted horns

659. Wolf and beetle

Brussels

660. Thief and beetle

661. Wife and Paramour

662. Thief and Satan

663. Dragon's Deposit

664. Hermit Tested Servant

665. Farmer Prayed for Horse

666. Man Praying for Himself

667. Townsman and Tame Daw

668. Three Wishes

669. Fox and Shadow of Moon as Cheese

670. Wolf sees Crow on Sheep

671. Fox and Dove

672. Eagle, Hawk, Doves

673. Horse and grain

674. Horse and Goat in package deal

675. Wolf and Hedgehog

676. Well-Meaning Wolves

677. Painter and Wife

678. Deer instructing Fawn

679. Crow and Young Ones

680. Goat and Wolf

681. Contentious Wife

682. Contrary Wife

683. Whispering Brigands

684. Physician, Rich Man and Daughter

685. Badger among Pigs

686. Wolf in Trap and Hedgehog

687. Wolf and Ferryman

688. Wolf Learning Letters

689. Wolf and Dove Gathering Twigs

690. Man in Boat

691. Old Man and Son

692. Bishop Cat

Extravagantes

693. Unlucky Wolf, Fox and Mule (written on hoof)

694. Little Boar

695. He-Goat and Wolf

696. Wolf and Ass

697. Serpent as Adviser

698. Wolf as Fisherman

699. Wolf's Misfortune

700. Hunter and Ploughman

701. Dog and Wolf

702. Dog in Manger

703. Three Sons Dividing Inheritance

704. Little Fox under Wolf's Tutelage

705. Dog, Wolf and Ram

706. Lion's Son learns about Man

707. Knight and Mendacious Squire

Bern

708. Ape and Bear

709. Dog and Slain Master

710. Dog and Boy in River

711. Ram and Baldheaded Master

712. Wolf and Hungry Fox

713. Adulterous Stork

714. Ram and Wolf

715. Fox and Sick Ape

716. Mouse and Daughter

717. Rooster and Horse Talking about Master

718. Generous Fox and Wolf

719. Dog begging Bone from Master

Promptuarium

720. Scarecrow

Poggio and Abstemius

721. Father, Son, and Donkey

722. Teaching Donkey to Read

723. Rustic Wanting to Cross River

724. Fly on Chariot

725. Fish from Frying Pan into Coals

The Poetry of Fingal's Cave (with links to Macpherson's Ossian & Mendelssohn's Overture)

The English Romantic poet John Keats visited the island of Staffa in July 1818, accompanied
by his friend Charles Brown. Keats was just as captivated by the wild beauty of the island
and Fingal’s cave, as Felix Mendelssohn was 11 years later.

Staffa, the Island

Fingal’s Cave

John Keats (1795–1821)

NOT Aladdin magian Ever such a work began; Not the wizard of the Dee Ever such a dream could see; Not Saint John, in Patmos’ isle,         5 In the passion of his toil, When he saw the churches seven, Golden aisled, built up in heaven, Gazed at such a rugged wonder! As I stood its roofing under,         10 Lo! I saw one sleeping there, On the marble cold and bare; While the surges washed his feet, And his garments white did beat, Drenched about the sombre rocks;         15 On his neck his well-grown locks, Lifted dry above the main, Were upon the curl again. “What is this? and what art thou?” Whispered I, and touched his brow;         20 “What art thou? and what is this?” Whispered I, and strove to kiss The spirit’s hand, to wake his eyes. Up he started in a trice: “I am Lycidas,” said he,         25 “Famed in fun’ral minstrelsy! This was architectured thus By the great Oceanus!— Here his mighty waters play Hollow organs all the day;         30 Here, by turns, his dolphins all, Finny palmers, great and small, Come to pay devotion due,— Each a mouth of pearls must strew! Many a mortal of these days         35 Dares to pass our sacred ways; Dares to touch, audaciously, This cathedral of the sea! I have been the pontiff-priest, Where the waters never rest,         40 Where a fledgy sea-bird choir Soars forever! Holy fire I have hid from mortal man; Proteus is my sacristan! But the dulled eye of mortal         45 Hath passed beyond the rocky portal; So forever will I leave Such a taint, and soon unweave All the magic of the place.” So saying, with a spirit’s glance         50 He dived!

Mendelssohn: Fingal's Cave Overture (The Hebrides)

• "The Hebrides Overture" also known as "Fingal's Cave," is a concert overture composed by Felix Mendelssohn. Written in 1830, the piece was inspired by the German composer's trip to Scotland in 1829. Fingal's Cave itself is a cavern on Staffa, an island in the Hebrides archipelago located off the coast of Scotland. The opening bars of the famous theme were actually written the day before the composer visited the cave.
• The music, though labelled as an overture, is intended to stand as a complete work. The piece was completed on December 16, 1830 and was originally entitled "The Lonely Island." However, Mendelssohn later revised the score completing it by June 20, 1832 and re-titling the music "The Hebrides." The overture was premiered on May 14, 1832 in London.
• Mendelssohn was enchanted by Scotland and the Staffa scenery in particular. However, it appears that the journey to the tiny Hebridian island was not so enjoyable. He wrote from the comfort of dry land some days later, "How much has happened since my last letter and this! The most fearful sickness, Staffa, scenery, travels and people."
• Naturalist Sir Joseph Banks discovered the cave in 1772 while on a natural history expedition to Iceland. It was named after Fingal, the hero of an epic poem by 18th-century Scots poet-historian James Macpherson. Mendelssohn's overture popularized the cave as a tourist destination and during Victorian times paddle steamers landed 300 people a day on the island.
• The opening few minutes of the overture are played in the 1943 movie The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp while Roger Livesey's character Clive Candy visits his German friend in a Prisoner of War camp.

Pink Floyd - Oenone

(based on Fingal's Cave)

References

Wikipedia - Fingals Cave

Wikipedia - James Macpherson

Wikipedia - Ossian

Ossian (/ˈɒʃən, ˈɒsiən/; Irish Gaelic/Scottish Gaelic: Oisean) is the narrator and purported author of a cycle of epic poems published by the Scottish poet James Macpherson from 1760. Macpherson claimed to have collected word-of-mouth material in Gaelic, said to be from ancient sources, and that the work was his translation of that material. Ossian is based on Oisín, son of Finn or Fionn mac Cumhaill, anglicised to Finn McCool, a legendary bard who is a character in Irish mythology. Contemporary critics were divided in their view of the work's authenticity, but the consensus since is that Macpherson framed the poems himself, based on old folk tales he had collected.

The work was internationally popular, translated into all the literary languages of Europe and was highly influential both in the development of the Romantic movement and the Gaelic revival. "The contest over the authenticity of Macpherson's pseudo-Gaelic productions," Curley asserts, "became a seismograph of the fragile unity within restive diversity of imperialGreat Britain in the age of Johnson." Macpherson's fame was crowned by his burial among the literary giants in Westminster Abbey. W.P. Ker, in the Cambridge History of English Literature, observes that "all Macpherson's craft as a philological impostor would have been nothing without his literary skill."

The Poems of Ossian, by James Macpherson

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/ossian/index.htm

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A unique basalt formation known as Fingal’s Cave
gilds the uninhabited volcanic island of Staffa.

Fingal’s Cave:
Scotland’s Eerie & Tuneful Cave
Discovered in 1772
https://m.thevintagenews.com/2017/05/25/fingals-cave-scotlands-eerie-tuneful-cave-discovered-in-1772/

by Ian Harvey

May 25, 2017

Owned by the National Trust for Scotland as part of a National Nature Reserve, the cave is known for its eerie melody, caused by natural acoustics.

Discovered in 1772, Fingal’s Cave gained fame when the Scottish poet-historian James Macpherson wrote an epic poem about an eponymous hero in the 18th century. The hero of the poem was known as Fionn mac Cumhaill, meaning “white stranger” in Irish mythology.

According to the legend of the Giant’s Causeway, Fionn built the causeway between Scotland and Ireland, inspiring Macpherson, and the cave was named in Fionn’s honor.

Fingal’s Cave, Island of Staffa, Scotland

A key part of Macpherson’s legacy is the cave’s original name, “An Uamh Bhin,” or the “melodious” cave, changed into “Fingal’s Cave” by Sir Joseph Banks in 1772 when Macpherson’s popularity was still high.

The origin of the cave is a frequent question among the tourists for whom the place is a favorite stopping point. Apparently, the magnificent eerie cave was formed from hexagonal basalt columns within an approximately 60 million-year-old lava flow.

Fingal’s cave entrance

After cooling, the upper and lower structures started fracturing and turned into a block tetragonal pattern, and transitioned to a regular hexagonal fracture pattern. As the cooling continued, the cracks extended toward the center of the flow, forming the long three- to eight-sided columns visible in the wave-eroded cross-section.

When observing the cave from a distance, you can’t miss its oval large entrance occasionally filled with water from the sea.

Although the entrance is big, boats can’t enter into the depths of the cave unless the sea is very calm. However, boats aren’t the only option for sneaking into the cave or just to take a closer look at the formation.

Basalt columns inside Fingal’s Cave. – By Hartmut Josi Bennöhr – CC BY-SA 3.0

Several local cruise and charter companies offer an exploration tour of the cave from April to October.

It’s also possible to land on the island and explore the cave by stepping over some of the fractured columns forming a walkway over the water.

Tourists find this way of exploring the cave exciting since it gives them the freedom to observe its formations closely and ability to hear more clearly the echoes of waves splashing inside.

Entrance to Fingal’s cave. – By Hartmut Josi Bennöhr – CC BY-SA 3.0

View from the depths of the cave, with the island of Iona visible

in the background, 2008. – By N2e CC BY-SA 3.0

Some visitors say that the melody formed by the echoes of waves is similar to ones that can be heard in cathedrals, and to some, the cave is a natural cathedral.

One of the most beautiful sights from the inside of the cave is the entrance, described as a perfect frame to the island Iona across the sea.

Besides being an attraction for tourists, Fingal’s Cave remains a muse to many important artists, such as the romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn, author Jules Verne, Alfred Lord Tennyson, the playwright August Strindberg, Pink Floyd, and the English engraver of portraits and landscapes, James Fittler. And it is described by the revered Scots novelist Sir Walter Scott as one of the most extraordinary places on Earth.

Engraving of Fingal’s Cave by James Fittler in Scotia Depicta, 1804

Staffa top. By Hartmut Josi Bennöhr – CC BY-SA 3.0

Some writers were inspired enough to mention the cave in their poems and books, while others named their songs after the famous cave.

Even the movie adaptation of the novel When Eight Bells Toll was filmed there, with Anthony Hopkins in the leading role.

Those who decide to visit the island will see some spectacular coastal sights, crystal clear sea and, of course, the famous Fingal’s Cave, eclipsing everything with its grandeur.

* * * * * * * * *

Scotland Trip Full Film HD

Published on Feb 25, 2017

The Highlands, Oban. Lochgilphead. Loch Fyne, Inveraray, Largs, Loch Lomond, Great Cumbrae, Staffa, Iona, Iona Abbey, Hebrides, Iona Nunnery, Isle of Mull, Staffa, Iona, Oban, Fingal's Cave, Basking Shark, Birdlife, Puffins, Bird Sanctuary, Seahouses, Guillemots, 6th Century history. St Aidan and St Cuthbert, The herring boat houses, Lindisfarne Castle, Priory, St. Mary's Church.

Emily Dickinson - A Quiet Passion

Emily Dickinson is considered among the greatest poets in English literature. She is known for her unusual use of form and syntax; and for being “The poet of paradox”. Dickinson was a prolific writer and created nearly 1800 poems but only a handful of them were published during her lifetime.

Movie Quotes by Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for death, he kindly stopped for me.

This is my letter to the world that never wrote to me.The heart asks pleasure first and then excuse from pain.

We deceive ourselves and then others.

Poems are my solace for the eternity which surrounds us all.

If I can't have equality, then I want nothing of love.

Emily Dickinson: How can you go on loving me?

Vinnie Dickinson: You are so easy to love.

Clarity is one thing; obviousness is quite another.

Movie Review

Neither quiet nor passion

by Howard Schumann

October 29, 2016

The great American poet Emily Dickinson wrote:

"Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality."

Whether or not Dickinson stopped for life, it kindly stopped for her and her immortality is enshrined in the legacy of the 1800 exquisite poems she left, only ten of which were published during her lifetime. She did not leave any commentaries to interpret her work, but left them for us to understand and explain. One interpretation of her life and work is provided by Terence Davies in his film, A Quiet Passion, a sympathetic but overwritten and curiously wooden look at her life and the influences that shaped her art. Starring Cynthia Nixon ("The Adderall Diaries") as Emily, Davies traces Dickinson's life in a standard linear format. Raised in the Puritan New England city of Amherst, Massachusetts (the film is shot near Antwerp, Belgium) the poet was lonely and secretive throughout her life, seldom left home, and visitors were few.

She stayed with her family all of her life, living through births, marriages, and deaths but always setting aside the early morning hours in her study to compose. Bright and outgoing as a young woman, Emily is portrayed as becoming more isolated, and bitter as she grows older. Her only companions were her austere and unforgiving father, Edward (Keith Carradine, "Ain't Them Bodies Saints"), a one-term Congressman, her haughty brother, Austin (Duncan Duff, "Island"), who became an attorney and lived next door with his wife Susan Gilbert (Johdi May, "Ginger and Rosa"), and her younger sister, Lavinia (Jennifer Ehle, "Little Men") who was her greatest solace. As the film opens, Emily is tagged as an outsider almost immediately. As a young student (Emma Bell, "See You in Valhalla") at the Mount Holyoke women's seminary, she stands up to the governess by declaring that she does not want either to be saved by divine Providence or forgotten by it and also speaks out for feminism, women's rights and abolitionism.

Her willingness to challenge conventional thinking by dismissing Longfellow's poem "The Song of Hiawatha" as "gruel," and her support for the poorly-regarded Bronte sisters was not appreciated by her family. "If they wanted to be wholesome," she retorted, "I imagine they would crochet." As Davies cleverly morphs the faces of Emily and her well-to-do family from children into adults, a clearer picture emerges of her relationship with her strict father and reserved mother (Joanna Bacon, "Love Actually"). Her only refuge from family conflicts and disappointments was her intimate relationship with Vinnie, the companionship of her best friend Vryling Buffam (Catherine Bailey, "The Grind"), and the sermons of Reverend Wadsworth (Eric Loren, "Red Lights"). Irreverent and provocative, Emily, Vinnie, and Vryling are shown walking through the gardens, exchanging witty aphorisms while they twirl their parasols, but the element of artifice is overbearing.

We do not see Emily in the process of composition but listen to her poems read aloud in voice-over. They are the highlight of the film, but there are not enough of them and too much time is spent on Emily's sad physical deterioration as she confronts the debilitating Bright's disease. In this regard, there is no subtlety in the film's presentation as the camera unnecessarily lingers over Emily's shaking fits for an inordinate length of time and her last days are an endurance test for the audience. In spite of the family's strong religious approach to life, there is no reflection about her life and legacy or talk about life's meaning and purpose.

Though Emily Dickinson's poetry glimmers with a spiritual glow, the uniqueness of who she is does not fully come across. For all of its fine performances and moments of comic satire, A Quiet Passion is dramatically inert, and its stilted and mannered dialogue is an emotional straitjacket with each character talking to the other as if they were reading a book of aphorisms. Terence Davies has directed some memorable period films in his career such as his remarkable adaptation of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth. A Quiet Passion, however, has neither quiet nor passion. Gratitude must be offered, however, to Davies for introducing the poems of Emily Dickinson to a wider audience. Thanks Terence and thanks Emily.

You left me – Sire – two Legacies – (#713)

by Emily Dickinson

You left me – Sire – two Legacies – 

A Legacy of Love

A Heavenly Father would suffice

Had He the offer of –

You left me Boundaries of Pain –

Capacious as the Sea –

Between Eternity and Time –

Your Consciousness – and me –

Poems by Emily Dickinson

And with what body do they come (#10)

by Emily Dickinson

'And with what body do they come?' -

Then they do come - Rejoice!

What Door - What Hour - Run - run - My Soul!

Illuminate the House!

'Body!' Then real - a Face and Eyes -

To know that it is them!

Paul knew the Man that knew the News -

He passed through Bethlehem -

My Cocoon Tightens, Colors Tease (#17)

by Emily Dickinson

MY cocoon tightens, colors tease,

I 'm feeling for the air;

A dim capacity for wings

Degrades the dress I wear.

A power of butterfly must be

The aptitude to fly,

Meadows of majesty concedes

And easy sweeps of sky.

So I must baffle at the hint

And cipher at the sign,

And make much blunder, if at last

I take the clew divine.

For Each Ecstatic Instant (#37)

by Emily Dickinson

FOR each ecstatic instant

We must an anguish pay

In keen and quivering ratio

To the ecstasy.

For each beloved hour

Sharp pittances of years,

Bitter contested farthings

And coffers heaped with tears.

Success Is Counted Sweetest (#67)

by Emily Dickinson

Success is counted sweetest

By those who ne’er succeed.

To comprehend a nectar

Requires sorest need.

Not one of all the purple Host

Who took the Flag today

Can tell the definition

So clear of victory

As he defeated – dying –

On whose forbidden ear

The distant strains of triumph

Burst agonized and clear!

Note: In this poem Dickinson uses the image of a victorious army and of a defeated soldier who is dying. Through this image she conveys that success can be understood best by those who have suffered defeat. The popularity of the poem lies in the fact that unlike some of her other poems which talk about losing in romance, ‘Success Is Counted Sweetest’ “can be applied to any situation where there are winners and losers.” - Learnodo Newtonic

Declaiming Waters None May Dread (#126)

by Emily Dickinson

Declaiming Waters none may dread -

But Waters that are still

Are so for that most fatal cause

In Nature - they are full -

On that dear Frame the Years had worn (#135)

by Emily Dickinson

On that dear Frame the Years had worn

Yet precious as the House

In which We first experienced Light

The Witnessing, to Us—

Precious! It was conceiveless fair

As Hands the Grave had grimed

Should softly place within our own

Denying that they died.

“Faith” is a fine invention (#185)

by Emily Dickinson

“Faith” is a fine invention
For Gentlemen who see!
But Microscopes are prudent
In an Emergency!

Notes: An often quoted poem, ‘”Faith” is a fine invention’ gives insight on Dickinson’s views on religion and science. While calling faith an invention and putting it in quotation marks suggests that the poem is pro science yet the ability for only some to ‘see’, or possess a kind a divine power, contradicts that. No wonder Dickinson is famous as the “The poet of paradox”. She goes on to add that it is wiser to use ‘microscopes’, or science, in an emergency. - Learnodo Newtonic

Wild nights – Wild nights! (#249)

by Emily Dickinson

Wild nights – Wild nights!

Were I with thee

Wild nights should be

Our luxury!

Futile – the winds –

To a Heart in port –

Done with the Compass –

Done with the Chart!

Rowing in Eden –

Ah – the Sea!

Might I but moor – tonight –

In thee!

Note: 'Wild nights – Wild nights!’ is widely discussed for its implications. It doesn’t tell a story but is an expression of wish or desire. Dickinson uses the sea as an image for passion. It remains one of the most popular romantic poems written by an American. - Learnodo Newtonic

Hope is the Thing with Feathers (#254)

by Emily Dickinson

"Hope" is the thing with feathers –

That perches in the soul –

And sings the tune without the words –

And never stops – at all –

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –

And sore must be the storm –

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm –

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –

And on the strangest Sea –

Yet – never – in Extremity,

It asked a crumb – of me.

Note: The most famous poem by Dickinson, “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” is ranked among the greatest poems in the English language. It metaphorically describes hope as a bird that rests in the soul, sings continuously and never demands anything even in the direst circumstances. - Learnodo Newtonic

I’m nobody! Who are you? (#288)

by Emily Dickinson

I’m Nobody! Who are you?

Are you — Nobody — Too?

Then there’s a pair of us!

Don’t tell! They’d banish us — you know!

How dreary — to be — Somebody!

How public — like a Frog —

To tell one’s name — the livelong June —

To an admiring Bog!

Note: In this poem the narrator considers that being nobody is a luxury and it is depressingly repetitive to be somebody, who like a frog has a compulsion to croak all the time. The most talked about detail of Dickinson’s life is perhaps that only 10 of her nearly 1800 works were published during her lifetime and she lived her life in anonymity. This and the fact that the poem is about the popular subject of “us against them” makes it one of the most famous poems written by Dickinson. - Learnodo Newtonic

So From The Mould (#335)

by Emily Dickinson

So from the mould

Scarlet and Gold

Many a Bulb will rise—

Hidden away, cunningly, From sagacious eyes.

So from Cocoon

Many a Worm

Leap so Highland gay,

Peasants like me,

Peasants like Thee

Gaze perplexedly!

Much Madness is divinest Sense (#435)

by Emily Dickinson

Much Madness is divinest Sense –
To a discerning Eye –
Much Sense – the starkest Madness –
‘Tis the Majority
In this, as all, prevail –
Assent – and you are sane –
Demur – you’re straightway dangerous –
And handled with a Chain –

Note: "Much Madness" begins with a paradoxical line which equates madness to divine sense. Dickinson talks about the insane society which treats individuality as madness. If you agree with the majority you are sane but if you raise objections you are considered dangerous and need to be controlled. The madness versus sanity theme of the poem can also be interpreted in various other ways adding to the popularity of the poem.- Learnodo Newtonic

The Murmur of a Bee (#443)

by Emily Dickinson

The Murmur of a Bee

A Witchcraft—yieldeth me—

If any ask me why—

'Twere easier to die—

Than tell—

The Red upon the Hill

Taketh away my will—

If anybody sneer—

Take care—for God is here—

That's all.

The Breaking of the Day

Addeth to my Degree—

If any ask me how—

Artist—who drew me so—

Must tell!

I heard a Fly buzz – when I died (#465)

by Emily Dickinson

I heard a Fly buzz – when I died –

The Stillness in the Room

Was like the Stillness in the Air –

Between the Heaves of Storm –

The Eyes around – had wrung them dry –

And Breaths were gathering firm

For that last Onset – when the King

Be witnessed – in the Room –

I willed my Keepsakes – Signed away

What portion of me be

Assignable – and then it was

There interposed a Fly –

With Blue – uncertain – stumbling Buzz –

Between the light – and me –

And then the Windows failed – and then

I could not see to see –

Note: In “I heard a Fly buzz” the narrator is on his or her deathbed in a still room surrounded by loved ones. Everyone is awaiting the arrival of the ‘King’. The figure of death appears as a tiny, often disregarded, fly with a ‘stumbling Buzz’. It comes between the narrator and light and then the narrator ‘could not see to see’ or is dead. The poem remains one of Dickinson’s most discussed and famous works. - Learnodo Newtonic

Because I could not stop for Death (#479)

by Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death –

He kindly stopped for me –

The Carriage held but just Ourselves –

And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us –

The Dews drew quivering and Chill –

For only Gossamer, my Gown –

My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground –

The Roof was scarcely visible –

The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses' Heads

Were toward Eternity –

My Portion is Defeat - Today (#601)

by Emily Dickinson

My Portion is Defeat—today—

A paler luck than Victory—

Less Paeans—fewer Bells—

The Drums don't follow Me—with tunes—

Defeat—a somewhat slower—means—

More Arduous than Balls—

'Tis populous with Bone and stain—

And Men too straight to stoop again—,

And Piles of solid Moan—

And Chips of Blank—in Boyish Eyes—

And scraps of Prayer—

And Death's surprise,

Stamped visible—in Stone—

There's somewhat prouder, over there—

The Trumpets tell it to the Air—

How different Victory

To Him who has it—and the One

Who to have had it, would have been

Contender—to die—

Knows How to Forget! (#620)

by Emily Dickinson

Knows how to forget!

But could It teach it?

Easiest of Arts, they say

When one learn how

Dull Hearts have died

In the Acquisition

Sacrificed for Science

Is common, though, now—

I went to School

But was not wiser

Globe did not teach it

Nor Logarithm Show

"How to forget"!

Say—some—Philosopher!

Ah, to be erudite

Enough to know!

Is it in a Book?

So, I could buy it—

Is it like a Planet?

Telescopes would know—

If it be invention

It must have a Patent.

Rabbi of the Wise Book

Don't you know?

I Tend My Flowers for Thee (#622)

by Emily Dickinson

I tend my flowers for thee—

Bright Absentee!

My Fuchsia's Coral Seams

Rip—while the Sower—dreams—

Geraniums— tint—and spot—

Low Daisies—dot—

My Cactus—splits her Beard

To show her throat—

Carnations—tip their spice—

And Bees—pick up—

A Hyacinth—I hid—

Puts out a Ruffled Head—

And odors fall

From flasks—so small—

You marvel how they held—

Globe Roses—break their satin glake—

Upon my Garden floor—

Yet—thou—not there—

I had as lief they bore

No Crimson—more—

Thy flower—be gay—

Her Lord—away!

It ill becometh me—

I'll dwell in Calyx—Gray—

How modestly—alway—

Thy Daisy—

Draped for thee!

'Tis Good - the Looking Back On Grief (#660)

by Emily Dickinson

'Tis good—the looking back on Grief—

To re-endure a Day—

We thought the Mighty Funeral—

Of All Conceived Joy—

To recollect how Busy Grass

Did meddle—one by one—

Till all the Grief with Summer—waved

And none could see the stone.

And though the Woe you have Today

Be larger—As the Sea

Exceeds its Unremembered Drop—

They're Water—equally—

Because I Could Not Stop For Death (#712)

by Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death –

He kindly stopped for me –

The Carriage held but just Ourselves –

And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us –

The Dews drew quivering and Chill –

For only Gossamer, my Gown –

My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground –

The Roof was scarcely visible –

The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses’ Heads

Were toward Eternity –

Note: Many of Dickinson’s poems deal with the themes of death and immortality; and this is the most famous of them all. In it Emily personifies death as a gentle guide who takes a leisurely carriage ride with the poet to her grave. According to prominent American poet Allen Tate, “If the word great means anything in poetry, this poem is one of the greatest in the English language; it is flawless to the last detail.” - Learnodo Newtonic

If I can stop one Heart from breaking (#919)

by Emily Dickinson

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.

Note: This simple and often quoted poem by Dickinson talks about the deeds one can do which will insure that one’s life was not is vain. - Learnodo Newtonic

Tell all the truth but tell it slant (#1129)

by Emily Dickinson

Tell all the truth but tell it slant —

Success in Circuit lies

Too bright for our infirm Delight

The Truth’s superb surprise

As Lightning to the Children eased

With explanation kind

The Truth must dazzle gradually

Or every man be blind —

Note: In this poem Dickinson presents truth as a powerful entity whose dazzling brilliance can bring this world to an end. Hence she suggests that it would be wise to tell the truth but ‘tell it slant’ and to gradually ease it into the world. - Learnodo Newtonic

A Word made Flesh is seldom (#1715)

by Emily Dickinson

A Word made Flesh is seldom

And tremblingly partook

Nor then perhaps reported

But have I not mistook

Each one of us has tasted

With ecstasies of stealth

The very food debated

To our specific strength --

A Word that breathes distinctly

Has not the power to die

Cohesive as the Spirit

It may expire if He --

"Made Flesh and dwelt among us"

Could condescension be

Like this consent of Language

This loved Philology.

Cynthia Nixon plays Emily Dickinson in Terence Davies' new film A Quiet Passion. "I think she was afraid of life," Davies says. "Like a lot of geniuses, she had — skin missing. And that makes you very, very vulnerable." | Johan Voets/Hurricane Films/Courtesy of Music Box Films

New Film Celebrates Emily Dickinson's Poetry

And 'Quiet Passion'

http://www.npr.org/2017/04/13/523799211/new-film-celebrates-emily-dickinsons-poetry-and-quiet-passion

by Lynn Neary

April 13, 2017

Many people are drawn to Emily Dickinson because of her mysterious life — the brilliant poet rarely left her family home in Amherst, Mass., and her work wasn't recognized until after her death.

But British film director Terence Davies says it was her poetry, more than her personal life, that drew him in. Davies discovered Dickinson on television. An actress was reading one of her poems and afterwards Davies immediately ran out to buy one of her collections.

"What moves me about all the poems I've read is everything is distilled down to the bare essential," Davies explains. "But it's the very reticence of that that makes it desperately, desperately moving."

His new film, A Quiet Passion, stars Cynthia Nixon as Dickinson. The movie creates an image of a complicated woman whose poetry is steeped in pain.

In the film Davies uses Dickinson's poetry as a kind of commentary on her life. In the opening scene, Dickinson is severely chastised by the headmistress of her school because she refuses to say she wants to be Christian. Dickinson is dismissed as a "no hoper." As the scene ends she stands alone by a window as Nixon reads one of her poems:

For each ecstatic instant

We must an anguish pay

In keen and quivering ratio

To the ecstasy.

For each beloved hour

Sharp pittances of years,

Bitter contested farthings

And coffers heaped with tears.

Much of A Quiet Passion focuses on Dickinson's spiritual struggles. Davies says he identified with her because he also went through a spiritual crisis in his youth.

Emily Dickinson had a "green thumb"

"From 15 to 22 there was seven years of doubt and I really, really prayed for God to reveal himself, and of course he didn't," he recalls. "So I know what that is like. Faced with mortality, what do we do with this thing we call the soul?"

In the film, Dickinson's refusal to compromise her beliefs often puts her at odds with the conservative religious beliefs of her family and friends. In one scene, she refuses to kneel when a visiting minister leads her family in prayer. Her disobedience infuriates her father.

"My soul is my own," she tells him.

"Your soul is God's!" he replies.

The American Poet, Emily Dickinson

Dickinson had a few close relationships but is heartbroken when friends leave her. The only man she is attracted to is already married. He appreciates her poetry but few others do. She withdraws into her family home, sheltering herself from a world she doesn't really understand.

"To interpret the world you have to be an observer of it," Davies says. "What being an observer does, it puts you on the outside of life. You're never really part of it and life seems almost incomprehensible. How do other people manage their way through the world?"

Dickinson's reclusive life has been always been a source of fascination for artists.

"There's a kind of mystery around Dickinson and where mystery is, stories bloom," says Brenda Wineapple, author of White Heat, about Dickinson's friendship with a well-known abolitionist. Wineapple sees Dickinson as a strong, witty woman who did have lasting friendships. She says Davies has created a Dickinson whose radical life choices cost her a great deal.

"Over time she becomes caustic and angry and disappointed, which is not necessarily how people, particularly in the recent past, have imagined Emily Dickinson," Wineapple says.

But Davies says of course Dickinson was angry — she wanted to be loved and she wanted her work recognized even though she chose to live as a recluse.

"In the end that haven becomes a prison," he says. "It's sort of an emotional prison she can't get away from. That's very sad and very hard to bear, I think."

A Quiet Passion ends with Dickinson's death, before the hundreds of poems that would make her famous, were discovered.

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For Further Reading:

Billy Collins: A Poet's Affection For Emily Dickinson

Biography Speculates Emily Dickinson Had Epilepsy