The spiritual truth of a parable is generally independent and separable from the story, which can always be read as narrative of actual events, though it is meant to be symbolic. The interpretation comes from without. It is either left to be inferred by the reader or is written before or after the narrative in the form of a summarizing figure of speech or a detailed collated exposition. You remember that Christ took his disciples aside and explained his parables to them. [Tolstoy] Count Tolstoy has written many parables. He combines his teaching with virile realism until he is as enthusiastically read as are the popular and less spiritual authors. "What Men Live By" is an exquisite example of his teaching, and, while it embodies a church legend, is a regular parable in form. It has the requisite generic atmosphere about it: the shoemaker and his wife, the rich purchaser, the kind foster-mother, and the children are all types. The intense realism comes in in the representation of Russian life. The lesson is given in an orderly exposition after the narrative of events is finished. [Suggestions on writing parables] In writing an original parable, one should avoid the diction of the Bible, that is, should avoid phraseology archaic or especially religious; but it would be well to imitate the simplicity and straightforwardness of the Biblical narrative. A modern parable writer to be successful would avoid mawkishness, and what is popularly designated as "preaching,"--but he would shadow forth nevertheless very clearly a high, spiritual truth. He would study living examples carefully so as to express inevitable actions in a few luminous words. There are many noble lessons to be taught by the actions of typical men in typical situations. [Working definition] The adjectives symbolic, serious, spiritual, typical, and natural might be embodied in a working definition thus: A parable is a narrative of imaginary events, a symbolic didactic story, wherein the actors are always types of men or types of men and animals (never exclusively of animals), and whereof the lesson is always spiritual, single, and separate, and the tone is always serious, and the events always appear natural and customary. A list of proverbs that might be expanded into parables 1. God understands the dumb. 2. What a man acquires in his youth serves as a crutch in his old age. 3. Begin with small things that you may achieve great. 4. He who steals an egg will steal a horse also. 5. One can spoil the good name of a thousand. 6. One bad deed begets another. 7. The grandfather ate unripe grapes and the grandson's teeth were set on edge. 8. What is play to the cat is death to the mouse (modern, political parable). 9. When a man grows rich, he thinks his walls are awry. 10. Better lose one's eyes than one's calling. 11. What the wind brings it will take away. 12. No one is sure that his light will burn till morning. 13. The scornful soon grow old.