Literature and Im/politeness

1.
The Monkey and the Fish

An oriental fable

...Once upon a time, there was a great flood, and involved in this flood were two creatures--a monkey and a fish. The monkey, being agile and experienced, was lucky enough to scramble up a tree and escape the raging waters. As he looked down from his safe perch he saw the poor fish struggling against the swift current. With the very best of intentions, he reached down and lifted the fish from the water.

-------Anonymous fable

2.
Sent from a member of the psychart list group. "There is a wonderful (impolite) folk song "Samuel Hall." Hall is speaking before his hanging:

My name is Samuel Hall, Samuel Hall
You're a bunch of buggers all, God damn your eyes."

It describes his crime and capture with similar abuse of the police, his victim and, of course, the listeners.Is this pertinent?"

You will find lots of sites on the net for this song and its personage from Wikipedia on......

3. Polite Fiction, for example the fiction of Jane Austen

4. Æsop. (Sixth century B.C.) Fables.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

NOW you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them freely. The Town Mouse rather turned up his long nose at this country fare, and said: “I cannot understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever have stood a country life.” No sooner said than done: the two mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse’s residence late at night. “You will want some refreshment after our long journey,” said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking. “What is that?” said the Country Mouse. “It is only the dogs of the house,” answered the other. “Only!” said the Country Mouse. “I do not like that music at my dinner.” Just at that moment the door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to scamper down and run off. “Good-bye, Cousin,” said the Country Mouse, “What! going so soon?” said the other. “Yes,” he replied;
“BETTER BEANS AND BACON IN PEACE THAN CAKES AND ALE IN FEAR.”

5.
Mother Goose

Jack Sprat
Could eat no fat,
His wife could eat no lean;
And so,
Betwixt them both,
They licked the platter clean.