Write a cautionary fable about someone who always lies.

Posted in Adults on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 116 stories

“The Mask of Deception” by Susan Joy Clark

Submitted to Contest #88

As a music box played a soft but melancholy tune, Moonbeam dreamed of the masquerade ball the king was throwing that night. She had no gown, only a drab dress of coarse fabric and nondescript color. She did have a mask, a white sequined mask with upright bunny ears. She put it on and looked at herself in the mirror. Her clothes might have been humble, but she had a crowning glory of golden ringlets that fell to her waist. With the mask on, one could still see the beauty of her rosy lips, but her eyes and her very identity were hidden. It was...

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“The Misdeed of Trixie the Pixie” by Olivia Agatha

Submitted to Contest #88

“A pixie?” A low voice awoken Trixie from her slumber. Two eyes —as green as the forest— bore into hers curiously, startling her.“What? Who are you?” she yelled and flew away from the guy. “My apology, I’m new here… just wandering around to make myself familiar,” he said with a sweet smile.Trixie wished to retort, but she just realized the oddity of it all. No passersby had ever come close to her, even if they did, they wouldn’t spare another glance at her for they didn’t believe her existence. And yet, this guy… “How do you e...

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“Bitter the Cherry” by Aleko Mitroudid

Submitted to Contest #88

Let it burn, let it blight. Moon above and out of sight. Cloudy the welkin is tonight. Peak the tale, let it start. Let your wisdom lips unwrap. Tell the story oldest friend. Reach the end and start again. Somewhere in a village, far from the home you call your own, lived once a good woman. She was happy and big herself, as was her laughter. And known was the woman truly in her little village, for the bestest pies ever were prepared by her hands. All the other women in the village were always jealous of her and often tried to distrac...

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“Petit Mensonge (a little lie)” by Emma Sinclair

Submitted to Contest #88

His eyes wrinkled as he sniffed, his nose wiggling as he inhaled some chocolate powder. His granddaughter giggled and swung her legs, still too short to reach the ground. The pair sat in the café’s prime seat, tucked into the bay window for optimal people watching. “Papa! Why do noses wiggle?” Chloé asked, tilting her blonde head from side to side as she contemplated the possibilities. “Eh! How else would they make room for all the smells inside?” He retorted, raising his bushy eyebrow as if to imply that was common knowledge. She nodde...

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“Which Witch?” by Ruth Smith

Submitted to Contest #88

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom of Rockpence which was ruled by King Kilgren, the Warrior King, and his lovely wife, Queen Catira. King Kilgren was a wise and just king, and beloved by all his subjects. He was a fierce warrior, feared by his enemies. Because of this, no one challenged him and his people lived in peace. One summer, a blight came upon the kingdom. No one knew where it came from or what caused it, and His Majesty sent word far and wide in search for an answer. One day, a young girl sought an audience with the King, c...

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“Pause before passing the judgement ” by Farida Doctor

Submitted to Contest #88

Once upon a time in a jungle near the Nile , all the animals and birds lived happily and harmoniously. One day a crow named Kalu happened to pass from there. He was amazed to see that peace prevailed in such a big place. One bad habit of telling lies had already been proven disastrous for him. He had lost his family and friends and all relationships due to this one habit and he was kicked out of his own house by his family members. So he was searching a new place and wanted to build a new house and when he came across this jun...

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“Ákángbó” by Deborah Ojo

Submitted to Contest #88

Night falls slowly, gently, like a curtain over the day. Perhaps some would call it beautiful, but we are too used to the sunset to notice the dying sun's reflection on the compound floor, enriching the deep red clay. The voices of people settling in for the evening waft in on the wind–Mama Alagbo, the medicine woman, scolding her apprentices; Iya Ayo's children squabbling over whose turn it is to wash the dishes; young men excitedly discussing a game of ludo. In our own compound, Iya Agba, our grandmother, settles into her rocking chair.&nb...

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“Silver Wings” by Samuel Cooley

Submitted to Contest #88

The first time Brazen told her, “I hate you,” Sylvia burst into tears. They weren’t the gentle kind of tears that flow down rosy cheeks like waterfalls in thin creeks. No, these were ugly, big, and loud, much like Sylvia herself. They collapsed from her eyes like boulders, heading an avalanche of salt water that Brazen flitted away from immediately upon seeing them. “I love you too, Brazen,” Sylvia chuckled, swinging one of the boulders to the side with a velvet gloved hand. Brazen turned so red that he could have hidden amongst the fibers...

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“Tongue of Silver Blade” by Amy Jayne Conley

Submitted to Contest #88

“With the invention of consequence came the advent of lying. The first lie told was to avoid consequence of action, and it had worked, for back then there had been no proof. Lying, twisting the truth, became commonplace, and in a world of ‘innocent until proven guilty’, word was writ. Word was bond. Even if that bond was based on lies. “As society grew, so too did the finesse of lying. Lying was no longer used as an avoidance of consequence of action, but also as an avoidance of consequence of hurt feelings. A lover would lie to a partner...

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“Pinocchio ” by Kendra Campos

Submitted to Contest #88

The Adventures of Pinocchio, Italian title Le avventure di Pinocchio: Storia di un burattino (“The Adventures of Pinocchio: The Story of a Puppet”), classic children’s novel written by C. Collodi that first appeared in serial form in 1881 in the Giornale dei Bambini (“Children’s Magazine”) and was published as a book in 1883. It tells the story of the little marionette who wants to be a real boy, and it is perhaps best known as the basis for the 1940 Disney film. PinocchioIllustration of Pi...

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“Liar's Brows” by Tricia Shulist

Submitted to Contest #88

“LIAR!”Shannon cringed. She was being screamed at by a little, wizened old woman who sounded a lot like Valerie The Witch, from The Princess Bride. And to be honest, she did kind of look like her as well. “Honestly, Officer—“ Shannon looked at his name tag, “Prescott, she ran into me.” Looking at him, she hoped he would see her as the more believable party. Shannon was a well-groomed thirty-something professional woman. She was driving a new SUV, she had a spotless driving record, and had not so much as a parkin...

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“Donly - Lies of a Lion” by Nancy Ball

Submitted to Contest #88

Donly’s father was shot by one of the hunters when coming home from another lion’s lair.Most lions do not have den’s but due to hunters being in their area, a lot of the Pride's were creating dens for their families. Lioness’s built dens for the expecting cubs.In Donly’s family, they had two dens. One for his mother and the cubs and another one to keep their dad while he was waiting to die, from the gunshot wound.Donly, the lion, feared becoming the leader of the Pride. He was the eldest son and his father told him he would be the leader of ...

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“Ace of Lies” by Stacy Clair

Submitted to Contest #88

I adopted the nickname Ace when I was ten years old. My legal name always carried a weight I refused to bear. I loved the ability to change myself at a moment’s notice. I watched my parents and peers remain in the same tired doldrum day after day. I knew, early on, that wouldn’t be my fate. I learned if I added a flourish here and an embellishment there my audience hung on my every word. Little dramatics never hurt anyone, right? At twelve years old I told my English teacher my mother had died unexpectedly the n...

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“Truthful Lies” by Christopher Doriott

Submitted to Contest #88

Two hundred million dollars, and that was after Uncle Sam received his cut! Dennis Wilderbee sighed, shook his head, and tucked his Powerball ticket into his wallet. He knew he would not win but the fantasy of it was very intriguing. Even a man such as himself, seventy pounds overweight and balding, could land any number of beautiful women with that kind of money. After replacing the wallet into his inner pocket he tugged at his jacket. He hated wearing suits. They were always binding and pinching, especially around his waist, but toda...

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“The Downside to Having a Power” by Ethan Long

Submitted to Contest #88

“Inroqua,” The fire ring erupted into flames from dry wood. Ramses put away the book he had read the mysterious word from as it settled into a comfy campfire. He pulled up a seat across from Kira. “That’s really handy.” He dipped his head back and forth. “Yeah, it is. But before I had a favor, I could make a fire with just these two hands. So can...

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Write a cautionary fable about someone who always lies.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 116 stories

“The Mask of Deception” by Susan Joy Clark

“The Misdeed of Trixie the Pixie” by Olivia Agatha

“Bitter the Cherry” by Aleko Mitroudid

“Petit Mensonge (a little lie)” by Emma Sinclair

“Which Witch?” by Ruth Smith

“Pause before passing the judgement ” by Farida Doctor

“Ákángbó” by Deborah Ojo

“Silver Wings” by Samuel Cooley

“Tongue of Silver Blade” by Amy Jayne Conley

“Pinocchio ” by Kendra Campos

“Liar's Brows” by Tricia Shulist

“Donly - Lies of a Lion” by Nancy Ball

“Ace of Lies” by Stacy Clair

“Truthful Lies” by Christopher Doriott

“The Downside to Having a Power” by Ethan Long

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about an ordinary person speaking truth to power.

Write about a prince or princess who is asked to give up something valuable as part of a deal to escape the world they come from.

Write a fairy tale about an outsider trying to fit in.

Write about an author famous for their fairy tale retellings.

Contest #88

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

622

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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