The Two Pots
Translation by George Fyler Townsend via Project Gutenberg.
A River carried down in its stream two Pots, one made of earthenware and the other of brass. The Earthen Pot said to the Brass Pot, “Pray keep at a distance and do not come near me, for if you touch me ever so slightly, I shall be broken in pieces, and besides, I by no means wish to come near you.”
Equals make the best friends.
Ok, so I hate to disagree ever so slightly with my man George Fyler Townsend, but this is my read:
Because these stories were often told among enslaved communities, I’d specify that this is a warning to the underclasses about the wealthy and powerful in society. Obviously the upper classes are direct oppressors to the enslaved, but even free people of lower class standing would be wise to avoid entanglement in the affairs of the rich. A wealthy person could essentially buy their way out of facing certain negative consequences. If you don’t have money or influence… you might be screwed.
According to Scholarly Journal Wikipedia (I know…), written versions of this fable date to around the 2nd century BCE, inscribed in Greek and Sanskrit. The Greek version bears a message in-line with my personal read of this fable. The Sanskrit version focuses more on the integrity of a person:
Friendship with bad men is like a pot of clay, easy to break but difficult to rejoin. With good men it is like a pot of gold, difficult to break but easy to mend.
Wikipedia attributes this to Panchatantra, reconstructed by Franklin Edgerton.
All that to say, variations of this fable have been shared far and wide as a warning to keep company with quality people who won’t screw you over. Still valid!
Exciting Work Stuff!!
After 3 years of it being basically dead, I’m currently bringing my freelance business back to life! I am focusing specifically on illustration / lettering work for book designs, murals, and stationery so if you know anyone who might be interested in those services (including yourself), hit me up!
In other work-ish news, the Almost Autumn Art Challenge starts in a week! I made a sliiight error in the last email by switching the order of Rainy Days & Candles with Apples & Acorns (sorry!!), but the corrected schedule is below. Everyone is welcome to participate and all mediums are acceptable! Check out more info on my Instagram.
Freebie Zone
If you haven’t grabbed this coloring page, be sure to do so soon! I’ll have a new freebie available come next time.
Epilogue
So, what do you think of that fable?! I’m really curious to know how others might interpret this one, so let me know your thoughts! It’s so cool that each of these stories morphs and changes depending on when / where it is told, and by whom. I just love them so much!
As always, reply to this email to say hello. Otherwise, catch you next time!
Hasta luego,
-Liz