watercolour and ink on paper

Amoral Tales

Short graphic stories based on ideas in Aesop's fables often keeping the animal heads but usually with nude figures suggesting alternative amoral versions of the moral tales.  A workshop of ideas to be brought together.  Let me know what you think about them and if you think I should neaten these drawings into a collection.

Amoral
An exploration of hedonism and failure through the retelling of some of the oldest and...

Do not promise much and deliver little
The mountain was a beauty, though she shall not be named in this story. The labour...

Wolf and Lamb
Wolf One day met Lamb in a dark corner of the field all alone. Now Wolf is a...

The Fox and the Crane
Fox invited Crane for dinner but served bean soup in a broad flat...

The Innkeeper and the Thief
Innkeeper had a lovely new coat which he hung on the back of his chair. Thief...

The Woodman and the Serpent
One winter Woodman found Serpent stiff and frozen with cold Woodman gently...

The Fisher
Fisher went sailing on the lake Playing the bagpipes Saying: the fish...

The Belly and the Members
The members of the body rebelled against the belly.  They said: why should we...

The Lioness
There was clamour and boasting amongst all the beast. Claiming their worth by...

The Dancing Monkeys
Prince trained Monkeys to dance; He dressed them in fine flowing clothes; And...

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
Wolf was exasperated by the tediousness of the hunt In desperate hunger Wolf...

The Seaside Travellers
TRAVELLERS travelled along the seashore,  Climbed up a tall cliff to...

The Mule
One Sunday after dinner with nothing to do MULE frolicked and...

Two Soldiers and a Robber
When travelling wearily home Two soldiers were beset by a robber One...

The Bat and the Weasels
BAT fell to the ground Caught by a WEASEL who said: BIRD is my favourite...

The Man and the Satyr
MAN and SATYR shared a drink And another After a third they decided to be...

Pomegranate, Apple-Tree and Bramble
POMEGRANATE: Look at me, I am so beautiful. APPLE: Nay, look here, everyone...

The Ass and the Grasshoppers
GRASSHOPPER was singing, so beautiful and sweet. ASS was enchanted, the singer...

The Fox and the Lion
One day skulking through the forest FOX chanced upon LION on a tree And...

BOY Hunting LOCUSTS
BOY hunting LOCUSTS BOY had a goodly haul BOY saw the best of all BOY...

Hercules and the Wagoner
Picture a Wagon in a country lane Wheels sunk deep in a rut, stuck And the...

The Mole and his Mother
MOLE, poor thing, blind from birth Said, MOTHER, I am sure I can see MOTHER...

The Herdsman and the Lost Calf
HERDSMAN loved the flock, every one One day BULLCALF was lost HERDSMAN...

The FARMER and the STORK
FARMER caught all the thieves in the nets Five resigned CRANES and one shameful...

The Charcoal-Burner and the Fuller
CHARCOAL-BURNER worked from home where black was black FULLER worked from home too,...

The Raven and the Swan
RAVEN lusted for SWAN Floating in the pond With dazzling white...

ANTS and the GRASSHOPPER
THE ANTS were industrious Working hard, planning for their...

The LION and the MOUSE
LION was woken by MOUSE, oh dear careless MOUSE LION lashed out: You’ll...

The KINGDOM of the LION
​​​​​​LION was the fairest KING the BEASTS could have. LION was gentle and...

Father and Sons
Everyday they would argue Bicker and squabble One against three, two...

The FOX and the MASK
FOX entered the house of an actor FOX sauntered through one room FOX...

What is precious to one may have no value for another
COCK was searching for food for himself And the HENS When he found a...

DOG in the manger
DOG reclined, luxuriating in the manger. It was so soft, so gentle on sensitive...

The FOX and the GOAT
FOX fell into the well, probably drunk again. GOAT looked down, thristy: is the...

The Dog and the Shadow
DOG snarled, greedily protecting his piece Suddenly DOG was confronted with a...

The BEAR and two TRAVELLERS
Two youngsters travelling together Came across an angry BEAR PANDA, quick...

The HARE and the TORTOISE
HARE ridiculed TORTOISE with her softness and curves With his hand on his crotch this is...

The FAWN and MOTHER
Young FAWN said MOTHER You are larger than DOG You are faster than...

BEAR and FOX
BEAR was such a boasting crow How I love man, oh did you...

The SWALLOW and the CROW
SWALLOW was a flutter and a flaunt Saying: Beauty and Grace, my natural...

The ASS, the FOX and the LION
You know ASS and FOX, pretend BFFs Night in the forest, the toughest of...

TORTOISE and EAGLE
TORTOISE luxuriated like only tortoises could Sunbathing lazily between the...

The FLIES and the HONEY-POT
These are the FLIES This is the HONEY Oh dear, the HONEY...

The MAN and the LION
MAN and LION, another night in the forest  Boasting of strength and...

FARMER and the CRANES
The CRANES are in the field  And FARMER chases them...

CAT and VENUS
CAT fell in love with a beautiful youngster So CAT fell at the feet of...

OXEN and AXLETREE
The WAGON was laden and heavily pre-loaded And OXEN was strong, industrious...

Thirsty PIGEON
Fucking hell, PIGEON needed a drink PIGEON saw the sign and flew to...

GOATHERD and GOAT
You've heard this story before GOATHERD watching the GOATS A lazy,...

MISER
MISER invested everything in a gold bar: beautiful naked gold MISER...

The Sick LION
Sick LION, that cunning old queen Let everyone know: I can only be...

The GROOM and the HORSE
Oh GROOM currycomb HORSE Rub it, rub it, rub it, so it feel good Oh GROOM take...

The LAMB and the WOLF
Look over there, lovely LAMB lush and lithe  Watch out for WOLF, toxic masculine...

The FOX and the WOLF
FOX leans in the doorway behind WOLF. WOLF IS PROUD, LOUD. WOLF WILL BOAST,...

Amoral
An exploration of hedonism and failure through the retelling of some of the oldest and...