In elaborating upon its central fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper, Fables rises well above the harsh “idleness-brings-want” work ethic of the original (which, grown-ups may note, happens to jive pretty well with the American free-market capitalist ethic). Instead, it elevates the greater worth of charity, empathy, and members of a community learning from each other.
And there’s one more, particularly lovely implication of the show’s story, which is that art is just as important a commodity as food or wealth. In Fables, we learn that the acting, music, dancing, and storytelling that fill the ant’s kitchen are every bit as nourishing, and as vital, as the literal vittles she has hoarded away.
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Megan Grumbling: mgrumbling@hotmail.com
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Topics:
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