Here’s a draft of a fable I wrote for a competition. It had to be inspired by the fables of Robert Louis Stevenson. The competition was held by MRRLS. I didn’t win, but I still hope you enjoy it!

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“Yet you have not listened to Me,” says the Lord, “that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭25:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

A man and a chicken farmer were neighbors. Both of them did not have a fence since windstorms frequently came through and tore them down. The farmer had a big coop in his backyard and the man was building something in his. As the man was building, a chicken pecked his foot.

“Get off!” The man yelled at the chicken, shaking his leg. “Put these chickens in a coop!” At the order, the farmer puffed out his chest.

“Some neighborly advice, talk to people instead of at them.” The farmer snapped. The man stomped inside. The farmer huffed and went inside too.

The next day the man kept building, until chickens came and pecked his foot again. The man kicked the chickens and the chickens’ cries brought out the farmer.

“Keep your chickens in their coop!” The man repeated.

“Keep your anger in check!” the farmer yelled back. Both stomped into their houses.

The next day, the man finished building an outdoor house. His satisfaction was disturbed by the pecking chickens. This time, the man took a deep breath before he spoke.

“Farmer!” At the man’s call, the farmer came out, his arms crossed. With another deep breath, the man continued. “I’m building an outdoor house. So please, keep your chickens in their coop. For their safety.”

“I see what you’re doing, and it’s way too big. But you don’t see me telling you how to do your job, so don’t tell me how to do mine!” The farmer huffed before going back inside. The man threw his hands up and went inside too.

The next day, the man was not outside, but there was something in the outdoor house. The chickens went into the man’s yard, close to the outdoor house, pecking around. The thing inside the outdoor house pounced and proceeded to eat a chicken. As the chickens ran wild, crying frantically, the man and the farmer came out. 

“What is that?” The farmer gaped at the leashed beast devouring one of his chickens.

“That is my new companion.” The man said. 

“You can’t have that! What about my chickens?” The farmer cried.

“He’s leashed to stay in my yard and won’t hurt your chickens if they stay in their coop.” The man explained. The beast laid in the doorway of the outdoor house, eyeing the frantic chickens but not going after since they were all running back to their coop. The beast seemed to snicker and the farmer gaped at it.

“Some neighborly advice, Farmer,” the man spoke up, gaining the farmer’s dismayed gaze. “Consider repeated warnings, even when you don’t like how they’re delivered.” The farmer continued to gape, speechless as the man petted his beast before going inside.