Demyan’s Fish Soup by Ivan Krylov

“I beg you! Be so kind! Just favour me and taste it!”
Neighbor, I pray you, do not press me!”
Change your mind. Another spoonful; do not waste it;
This fish-soup is the thing, ’tis luscious, capital.”
“I’ve swallowed now three portions.”
“What of that? no matter, Come now, no foolish chatter, Think of your health, and eat it all;
“Tis soup indeed, with many a ball
As if fine amber beads had hither chanced to fall!
Quick eat it, oh! my comrade dearest,
Here’s bream, with giblets nice; here’s sturgeon where it’s clearest;
Another little morsel? Wife, upon him call!”

Warm-hearted friend Demyan thus urges Phoka keenly,
Allows him never respite, smiles serenely.
Sweat starts, on Phoka’s face, to gather as might rain,
Nevertheless, he lets himself be helped again,
Making an effort, though a drear one, Finishes all.
“Ah, you’re the sort I love!” Remarks Demyan,
“You’re not an appetite above!” “Another little plateful? Come then, oh, my dear one!”
But Phoka, hot and red, Though liking fish-soup much, had grown a prey to dread,
And, fur cap grasping, painfully gasping,
Uprose without delay and fled;
And, since, to friend Demyan no word has said.

Author! however blest, because true gifts possessing,
If you are prone to wander, many times digressing,
And grow by prolix ways distressing,
Know that your glorious prose, or transcendental verse
Becomes a blight and is then too much fish-soup worse.

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Demyan’s Fish Soup is a fable by Russian fabulist and author Ivan Krylov. While the story seems fun and innocent enough, here are some takeaways that are uncovered after further inspection:

1. Beware the overbearers

If you are prone to wander, many times digressing,/ And grow by prolix ways distressing,/ Know that your glorious prose… / Becomes a blight and is then too much fish-soup worse.

It’s often tempting to find something good and want to share it with the world. Wonderful! Everybody has insights worth sharing and they very well should.

But how it’s done really matters. If you push your insights in an overbearing manner, you run the risk of scaring the turtle back into its shell. A person who was willing to hear you out might close off; unable to deal with your pompousness. Even worse, you could hurt someone who would’ve happily gone ahead with your suggestion if not for your mannerisms.

The intent to do right is not enough. The delivery matters.

2. Excess ruins beauty

But Phoka, hot and red, Though liking fish-soup much, had grown a prey to dread,/ And, fur cap grasping, painfully gasping,/ Uprose without delay and fled…

Simple enough, but easy to forget.

Too much of something good isn’t good anymore. Water is good, but too much can drown you. Medications can treat symptoms, but too much leads to iatrogenesis. Social media is fun, but too much can give you with mental scars.

The dose matters.

3. Say “No” early

Sweat starts, on Phoka’s face, to gather as might rain,/ Nevertheless, he lets himself be helped again,/ Making an effort, though a drear one, Finishes all...

Perhaps the saddest part of this story is that everything could’ve been avoided if Phoka just stood up for himself and said, “No dammit, I won’t have any more soup!”. Phoka knew that he had enough but he let himself get swept along anyway.

When you get the feeling that something isn’t quite right, it can be tempting to brush it aside. The justifications are endless; perhaps it’s too much effort to say no, or it would make the situation awkward, or the sunk costs are just too much.

Yet, I have a feeling that Ivan Krylov wanted to leave this story with us as a warning: to either defend yourself and confront immediate discomfort, or to let yourself go and face the consequences of a far greater danger.

Credits to Lynn for this fable.