Mrs. Wilsons True Tales Retold

(corresponding to “Cecelia and Crab”) It shall be apparent on the reading that my rendition has only passing similarity to that which was originally told by Mrs. Wilson, “The Seal and the Crab.”My tale—which I have named “Cecelia and Crab”—is a vignette of mystery. It evokes the uncertainty of human society, featuring two innocents, who have been cast into a world which is naturally good and beautiful but where human nature may be cruel and ugly. Nothing is more sinister than an evil child, as encountered here, for it is certain then that evil is not merely acquired but shall be innate and compulsive.Mrs. Wilson’s tale is a fable of animals in the common tradition. It is little more than chatter about their animal habits and manners. But there are presumptive intimations in the tale concerning human nature and how humans are perceived and experienced by animals such as these. Some of the events, especially the quirky mingy behavior of Blue Jay at the end of the Mrs. Wilson’s tale, is told in phrasing so s