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The Fox is a manipulator and trickster in his interactions with other characters. Often the Fox lures more gullible characters by promising help, and then takes advantage of them for his own gain. After the Fox has successfully exploited his victim, he is quick to point out the mistake. In “The Fox and the Goat” the Fox promises to help the Goat escape a well, and then betrays him. The Fox admonishes the Goat, “If you had as many brains in your head as you have hairs in your beard, you would never have…exposed yourself to dangers from which you had no means of escape.” When other characters attempt to entrap the Fox under the guise of innocence or helplessness, the Fox is able to avert their tricks. In “The Sick Lion” fable, the Fox sees through the Lion’s attempt to coerce the Fox into his cave. He responds to the Lion’s request, “I notice that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but I see no trace of any returning.” The Fox actively demonstrates the errors and flaws of other characters by taking advantage of other’s gullibility and pointing out manipulative actions.
The Lion asserts his authority in several instances, but also recognizes his weaknesses with humility. In “The Wild Ass and the Lion” the Lion informs the Ass: “I will take the first share…because I am King: and the second share, as a partner with you in the chase: and the third share…will be a source of great evil to you, unless you willingly resign it to me, and set off as fast as you can.” The Lion simply asserts his authority over the Ass, but does not act violently. In another instance, the Lion recognizes his weakness and allows the Mouse, a much smaller creature, to help him escape from a hunter’s trap. The Lion agrees not to kill the mouse and in turn the Mouse is available later when the Lion needs the Mouse’s assistance. In “The Man and the Lion” fable, the Lion demonstrates another instance where he simultaneously asserts his authority and recognizes his humility. When the Man points out a statue of a man defeating a lion, the Lion responds, “If we Lions knew how to erect statues, you would see the Man placed under the paw of the Lion.” The Lion notes his ability to overpower Man, but recognizes his limitation to demonstrate it through a statue.
The Man interacts with several animals and a variety of human characters. The Man often delivers the fable’s moral either when he is recognizing his own mistake or the mistake of someone else. Some instances where the Man delivers the moral include: “Never travel with a friend who deserts you at the approach of danger” (The Bear and the Two Travelers); “Conquer, but conquer to your cost” (The Ass and his Driver); and “…no evil, whether it be small or large, ought to be tolerated” (The Flea and the Man).
The Wolf speaks with the Sheep, the Dog, the Goat, the Shepherd, the Horse, the Fox, and the Lion. The Wolf often uses his predatory powers to talk down to or terrorize other characters. The Wolf says to the Sheep, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations” (The Wolf and the Lamb). The Wolf tries to justify his violence against the sheep but when this fails he overpowers the sheep with physical violence. The Wolf also tricks the Crane after promising a reward for the Crane’s help: “Why, you have surely already had a sufficient recompense, in having been permitted to draw out your head in safety from the mouth and jaws of a wolf” (The Wolf and the Crane). Again, the Wolf exercises threats of violence to overpower another character. However, in some instances characters are able to see through the Wolf’s trickery. In “The Wolf and the Sheep”, the Wolf asks the Sheep to bring him a drink to which the Sheep replies, “if I should bring you the draught, you would doubtless make me provide the meat also.” This demonstrates an instance where the Wolf is not able to use violence against another character.
The Ass usually is the vehicle for the delivery of the moral in a fable. Usually the Ass tries to improve his status, inflate his own importance, or try to do something beyond his natural abilities. This often results in the Ass being “put back in his place” in order to deliver the moral. In “The Ass and his Masters” the Ass recognizes his mistakes and accepts his fate as a result of his actions. “It would have been better for me to have been either starved by the one, or to have been overworked by the other of my former master, than to have been bought by my present owner, who will even after I am dead tan my hide, and make me useful to him.”
Throughout the fables the Dog has conversations with a shepherd, a thief, a master, a traveler, a brazier, a goat, a fox, a hare, a wolf, a hound, and other dogs. Some of the relationships, namely with the master, thief, wolf, hound and other dogs are commonly associated with a dog. By looking at the quotes between the Dog and other humans, there is a pattern between how they communicate. The human tends to speak down to the dog and with commands such as "Why do you stand there gaping? Everything is ready but you, so come with me instantly." (Traveler to Dog). On the other hand, when the dog talks to humans, he refers to them as “master” and when he does speak to them it is to tell their masters a lesson rather than a command such as when the Dog responds back to the traveler "O, master! I am quite ready; it is you for whom I am waiting." (Dog to Traveler). The character of the dog appears to be that of a pet when in situations with a human i.e. he is there for protection and companionship. But during his time during this companionship he has learned more about his masters and their doings than they know themselves and therefore can teach their masters, rather than their masters teaching and training them. However, the character of the dog can be that of ignorance when with older dogs and smaller animals but intelligence with wolves and larger animals.
The shepherd shares conversations with a villager, wolves, a man, an ass, sheep, child and himself. Many of these interactions are warranted of a shepherd in that he is a herder of sheep and protects them from wolves. Most of the dialogue involve a conversation about sheep or a wolf. Yet the Shepherd tends to be the one who leaves his sheep to the wolf and left to learn a lesson from his failure. "I have been rightly served; why did I trust my sheep to a Wolf?" (Shepherd). In light of this the shepherd tends to be a parody of what a shepherd ought to be when placed in charge of his flock, whether it be sheep or his children.
The Eagle talks exclusively with other animals such as a tortoise, fox, lion, and she speaks the most with the Kite. The Eagle is often seen as a preying animal yet through these fables she appears to be subject to much deception and much is given to her rather than by her taking. An example of this deceptions is when a Cat convinces her to hide fearfully in her home and starve to death from another animal. "Destruction is preparing for you, and for me too, unfortunately. The Wild Sow, whom you see daily digging up the earth, wishes to uproot the oak, so she may on its fall seize our families as food for her young." (cat).
The sheep, usually referred to as a group rather than separately. The sheep have conversations with a wolf, a widow, a stag and a crow. Although the sheep are most closely related to the shepherd they never speak back to him, even when spoken to. When the sheep does speak it is in the form of rhetorical questions for example “Why do you hurt me so, Mistress?”(to mistress) and "If you had treated a dog in this way, you would have had your deserts from his sharp teeth." (to crow). This type of response characterizes the sheep as an animal that knows their place in the world yet that does not mean they should be cause discomfort or pain. Sheep are known to have one main purpose, and that is to provide wool, but they are not just an ignorant animal but yet a gentle wise one.
Jupiter is a god, yet his dialogue is mainly between him and animals, instead of humans. He is also the only character to have conversations with plants, namely an Oak tree. Jupiter’s dialogue is authoritative. He speaks only with declarative sentences and rhetorical questions. Since he is a god, many animals and creatures of the Earth prey to him, usually to ask a favor of him. He tends to grant that favor but with a catch that may defeat the purpose of the gift. For example He says to the Bees “"You shall have your request, but it will be at the peril of your own life. For if you use your sting, it shall remain in the wound you make, and then you will die from the loss of it." He can be seen as a literal teacher.