The Farmer and his Sons is a story of Greek origin that is included among Aesop's Fables and is listed as 42 in the Perry Index.[1] It illustrates both the value of hard work and the need to temper parental advice with practicality.
A coloured print of the fable from the 1501 Steinhowel edition
A farmer nearing death calls his sons to him in secret and tells them not to divide the family land since there is a treasure hidden somewhere on it. But afterwards, although they dig it over carefully, they find nothing. However, when the crops (or in some versions the vines) flourish profitably, they realise the valuable hidden meaning of his advice refers to hard work.
The fable is rare in dealing directly with the human situation, rather than through the intermediary of animals. Although it has long been accepted as one of Aesop's, and appeared as his in early European collections, the story has also been ascribed to the philosopher Socrates.[2] The Neo-Latin poets Gabriele Faerno and Hieronymus Osius both wrote poetic versions, as did Jean de la Fontaine in French.[3]
There is no consistency of titling. Greek sources make the father a farmer (Γεωργὸς), while Osius calls him a peasant (rusticus). Caxton's description is labourer, as is La Fontaine's, although the French laboureur has the meaning of an independent husbandman, the term used by Samuel Croxall. The nature of the ground cultivated differs as well. The 15th century illustrations in the Medici Manuscript[4] and in Heinrich Steinhowel's collection make it a vineyard, as it is also described in the poems by Faerno and Osius, but other versions are not always so specific.
The moral of the story appears pithily in La Fontaine's version as le travail est un trésor (work is wealth), as is also made explicit in the Greek (ὁ κάματος θησαυρός ἐστι) and in Faerno's Latin (thesaurus est labor).[5] English versions have been more roundabout and long-winded. Caxton prefaces the story with the opinion that "He that laboureth and werketh contynuelly maye not faylle to haue plente of goodes”.[6] Croxall prefaces his long application with, "Labour and Industry, well applied, seldom fail of finding a Treasure”,[7] while Thomas Bewick's edition contains the verse “Assiduous pains the swelling coffers fill”.[8] However, Bewick's main comment is on the value of the father’s advice and the craft by which he conveyed it. This also is what attracts the attention of Roger L'Estrange: “Good Counsel is the best Legacy a Father can leave to a Child”.[9]
Treatment in the artsedit
The 15th century manuscript illustration already mentioned combines the sons gathered about their dying father's bed with a view of their toiling in the vineyard. Most subsequent textual treatments of the fable chose either one or the other theme, until the composite treatment in Benjamin Rabier's poster of 1906.[10] However, magic-realist painter Lukáš Kándl prefers to point towards the fable's moral in depicting plants breaking out of the ground, each sheathing a gold-coloured pearl.[11]
Several composers have set La Fontaine's version of the fable, Le laboureur et ses enfants. They include the four-part song by the Belgian harpist Felix Godefroid (1818-1897)[12] and other French examples by Théodore Schloesser (1866), Paul Blanquière (1892) and E. Levasseur (1906).[13] Two more, a setting for three children's voices by Henri Maréchal (Paris, 1900) and for four male voices by Jules Pajot, (Lyon, 1910), precede the more ambitious Eh bien ! Dansez maintenant (2006) by Vladimir Cosma, in which the fable is the final piece in a light-hearted interpretation for narrator and orchestra, in this case in the style of a pavane.[14] The fable is also included in Isabelle Aboulker's Les Fables Enchantées (2004).[15]
There have also been French dramatic treatments, including the three-act comédie rustique of 1935 by H. Frederic Pottecher (1905-2001)[16] and the 1936 one-act version by painter-playwright Henri Brochet (1898-1952).[17]
Books illustration from the 15th to the 19th centuries
January 01, 1970
farmer, sons, story, greek, origin, that, included, among, aesop, fables, listed, perry, index, illustrates, both, value, hard, work, need, temper, parental, advice, with, practicality, coloured, print, fable, from, 1501, steinhowel, edition, confused, with, s. The Farmer and his Sons is a story of Greek origin that is included among Aesop s Fables and is listed as 42 in the Perry Index 1 It illustrates both the value of hard work and the need to temper parental advice with practicality A coloured print of the fable from the 1501 Steinhowel edition Not to be confused with The Old Man and his Sons Contents 1 The Fable 2 Treatment in the arts 3 References 4 External linksThe Fable editA farmer nearing death calls his sons to him in secret and tells them not to divide the family land since there is a treasure hidden somewhere on it But afterwards although they dig it over carefully they find nothing However when the crops or in some versions the vines flourish profitably they realise the valuable hidden meaning of his advice refers to hard work The fable is rare in dealing directly with the human situation rather than through the intermediary of animals Although it has long been accepted as one of Aesop s and appeared as his in early European collections the story has also been ascribed to the philosopher Socrates 2 The Neo Latin poets Gabriele Faerno and Hieronymus Osius both wrote poetic versions as did Jean de la Fontaine in French 3 There is no consistency of titling Greek sources make the father a farmer Gewrgὸs while Osius calls him a peasant rusticus Caxton s description is labourer as is La Fontaine s although the French laboureur has the meaning of an independent husbandman the term used by Samuel Croxall The nature of the ground cultivated differs as well The 15th century illustrations in the Medici Manuscript 4 and in Heinrich Steinhowel s collection make it a vineyard as it is also described in the poems by Faerno and Osius but other versions are not always so specific The moral of the story appears pithily in La Fontaine s version as le travail est un tresor work is wealth as is also made explicit in the Greek ὁ kamatos 8hsayros ἐsti and in Faerno s Latin thesaurus est labor 5 English versions have been more roundabout and long winded Caxton prefaces the story with the opinion that He that laboureth and werketh contynuelly maye not faylle to haue plente of goodes 6 Croxall prefaces his long application with Labour and Industry well applied seldom fail of finding a Treasure 7 while Thomas Bewick s edition contains the verse Assiduous pains the swelling coffers fill 8 However Bewick s main comment is on the value of the father s advice and the craft by which he conveyed it This also is what attracts the attention of Roger L Estrange Good Counsel is the best Legacy a Father can leave to a Child 9 Treatment in the arts editThe 15th century manuscript illustration already mentioned combines the sons gathered about their dying father s bed with a view of their toiling in the vineyard Most subsequent textual treatments of the fable chose either one or the other theme until the composite treatment in Benjamin Rabier s poster of 1906 10 However magic realist painter Lukas Kandl prefers to point towards the fable s moral in depicting plants breaking out of the ground each sheathing a gold coloured pearl 11 Several composers have set La Fontaine s version of the fable Le laboureur et ses enfants They include the four part song by the Belgian harpist Felix Godefroid 1818 1897 12 and other French examples by Theodore Schloesser 1866 Paul Blanquiere 1892 and E Levasseur 1906 13 Two more a setting for three children s voices by Henri Marechal Paris 1900 and for four male voices by Jules Pajot Lyon 1910 precede the more ambitious Eh bien Dansez maintenant 2006 by Vladimir Cosma in which the fable is the final piece in a light hearted interpretation for narrator and orchestra in this case in the style of a pavane 14 The fable is also included in Isabelle Aboulker s Les Fables Enchantees 2004 15 There have also been French dramatic treatments including the three act comedie rustique of 1935 by H Frederic Pottecher 1905 2001 16 and the 1936 one act version by painter playwright Henri Brochet 1898 1952 17 References edit Aesopica Francisco Rodriguez Adrados History of the Graeco Latin Fable Brill 1999 vol 1 p 381 Fable V 9 Flickr Gabrielis Faerni Fabulae Parma 1793 Fable 35 p 27 Fable 6 17 Fable 139 II 13 pp 95 6 Fable 109 Wikimedia Artvee com Paris 1862 BnF musical data You Tube The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande conducted by the composer A performance on You Tube BMI catalogue patrimoine BnF dataExternal links editBooks illustration from the 15th to the 19th centuries Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Farmer and his Sons amp oldid 1200021035, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
