Week 12 Story: The Foolish Deer that Lost

There once were two deer named Beauty and Brownie, who were the sons of a very intelligent father who ruled over an exceptionally large herd. When the sons were finally old enough their father wanted to divide the heard so that everyone would be able to get enough food during the sparse winter months. The father called for Beauty and Brownie to come with him so he could explain what their duties would be when they were in charge of their own herd.

“Sons, please listen carefully. As you know, it is time for each of you to take your own herd away during the winter months so that everyone has enough food to eat. But there are dangers on the journey. You must make sure to only travel at night and to keep away from the human villages or the hunters will follow your herd and kill as many members as they can get,” their father explained.

Beauty and Brownie both promised to follow their fathers warning and the next night set off with their herds. After two nights of travel Brownie began to grow tired of traveling at night and preferred to travel during the day. Beauty told him, “Brownie, remember what father told us? The hunters will find your herd if you travel during the day.”

But Brownie did not listen and told Beauty, “Nonsense, I am fast and strong the hunters will not mess with me!”

Beauty noticed that Brownie did not mention the safety of his herd but was only concerned about himself. Beauty could not sway Brownie to heed their fathers warning. So, the herds broke up, half following the foolish Brownie in the day by the villages and half following the wise Beauty at night away from the humans.

Brownie’s herd was the first to reach the high hills because his way was faster. Sadly, only half of his herd had made it through the journey. His herd began to despise him for taking them down such a dangerous path and losing so many loved ones.

Beauty’s herd arrived much later to the high hills but all of the members of his herd had made it through the journey.  When Brownie’s herd saw that all of Beauty’s herd had made it safely to the high hills, a mutiny was formed.

Brownie’s herd went to Brownie collectively and told him that they were no longer going to follow him. Brownie laughed and said, “That is fine. All of you are not strong enough to go during the day. Be cowards and join my bothers herd. Only brave deer should be in my herd.”

All of the deer joined Beauty’s herd. When the winter season was over, the herd could go back to join the other deer left in the forest. Beauty prepared his herd. Beauty told them, “I know it will take much longer but it is safer for us to travel at night. We must also avoid all of the human villages on the way. We will leave tomorrow night.”

Brownie laughed at the other deer and began his journey back to the forest alone that very day.

In time Beauty’s herd made its way back to the forest. When his father saw the herd coming he went to greet both of his sons, but all he could see was Beauty. The father exclaimed, “Welcome back everyone. Save travels I hope. Where is my other son Brownie? I see his heard is here but where is he?”

Beauty told his father, “Brownie herd did not want to follow him back. Half of his herd was caught by hunters on the way to the hills because he did not follow your warnings. He left on his own before us and traveled by day the fastest way here, through the human villages. He should have beat us here.”

All of the deer took a moment to hang their heads in memory of Brownie, because everyone knew that his foolishness had cost him his life.

A smaller herd of deer in the forest. Source: Pixnio by Addison Mohler

Author’s Notes: This story comes from original tale Beauty and Brownie found in the Jataka Tales by Ellen Babbit. I really enjoyed the tale so I kept most of the plat from the story the same. In the tale of Beauty and Brownie two deer are put in charge of two herds to take to the high hills so that there will be enough food for all of the deer. The father warms the sons of the dangers of traveling during the day and traveling close to the human villages but only one of the deer listen, Beauty. The tale ends with Brownie’s herd only having a few members left when he returns to the forest. I was not a fan of this ending because the only ones that seemed to be punished for Brownie not following his father’s advice were the innocent herd members. I changed the tale to where Brownie’s herd decides not to follow him once they see that he should have taken them a safer way and was not being a good leader. I also created the ending of Brownie being one of the deer that the hunters were able to catch since he seemed so cocky about his own abilities. I hope you have enjoyed my story and would love to hear feedback and ideas!