Beginning, middle, end

Aristotle outlines his theory of storytelling.

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Aristotle: A story has three parts. A beginning, a middle and an end.

Theophrastus: Give us an example.

Aristotle: There were some frogs living in a pond. They wished for a leader. So the god threw a log into their pond. SPLASH! The frogs were terrified. Gradually, they lost their fear and climbed onto the log. It didn’t move, they began to despise it. They asked the god for a stronger leader. A stork came. The stork began to eat the frogs. They regretted their dissatisfaction.

Theophrastus: Where is the beginning? Where is the middle? Where is the end?

Aristotle: Simple. Reducing the story to its elements, we have: Beginning: frogs bored in pond. Middle: frogs despise log. End: frogs eaten by stork.

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