| a long verse narrative in which the misadventures of animals satirize human foibles and follies. |
| beast epic n. A long, usually allegorical verse narrative in which the characters are animals with human feelings and motives. |
beast epic
popular genre in various literatures, consisting of a lengthy cycle of animal tales that provides a satiric commentary on human society. Although individual episodes may be drawn from fables, the beast epic differs from the fable not only in length but also in putting less emphasis on a moral
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