The collection of Stories About Justice features various tales centered on themes of fairness, consequences, and moral lessons. These stories explore how justice is pursued, tested, and sometimes perverted in different situations.
One of the stories, Scylla and Charybdis, tells of Odysseus’s dangerous journey home after the Trojan War, where he faces the mythical creatures Scylla and Charybdis. His failure to follow instructions results in the loss of some of his crew members and the wrath of Zeus, who destroys their ship. In The Wolf, the Fox, and the Ape, a Wolf accuses a Fox of theft, but an Ape, who acts as a judge, decides the Fox is guilty, casting doubt on the Wolf’s claim.
Another story, The Old Hound, presents an old hound who, despite his physical decline, insists that his past deeds deserve recognition. This theme of justice is continued in The Rich Brother and the Poor Brother, where the elder brother, disinherited for marrying without his father’s approval, returns to seek help from his younger sibling, only to face a court dispute that ultimately favors the poor brother.
In The Swallow, the Serpent, and the Court of Justice, a Swallow mourns the loss of her chicks after a Serpent eats them in a place meant to uphold justice. A Jury of Her Peers depicts a story of women acting as the jury in a case where they must decide the fate of a fellow woman in a setting where gender roles complicate justice.
Other stories, such as The Elephant and the Tailor, also reflect themes of justice, showing how the actions of a wronged elephant lead to consequences. Through these diverse narratives, the collection addresses the complexities of justice, highlighting both personal responsibility and societal judgment.
Imagination over knowledge
