Just So Stories

The Whale in the first of the Just So Stories is a large and powerful animal with a voracious appetite. He eats all the fish in the sea until only the small ‘Stute Fish is left. The Whale is focused on nothing but satisfying his own hunger, so it never occurs to him that the ‘Stute Fish is acting out of his own self-interest when he suggests the Whale try eating a man instead of fish. While the Whale may have size and strength on his side, his intelligence and critical thinking skills are limited. He swims off immediately in search of his next meal and swallows the Mariner without a second thought.

The Mariner, on the other hand, is “a man of infinite-resource-and-sagacity” (1). He puts his resources to work, making such a ruckus in the Whale’s stomach that the animal not only regrets eating him but also takes him home, essentially rescuing him from being lost at sea. The Mariner also fixes his raft as a grate in the Whale’s throat, preventing him from eating anything large ever again and demonstrating the triumph of intelligence over brute strength and size.