Final answer:
The precursor to the short story involved a brief, usually allegorical narrative that teaches a moral, often implicitly, and is called an allegory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The precursor to the short story that involved a brief, usually allegorical narrative that teaches a moral, often implicitly, is called an allegory.
An allegory is a story in which abstract concepts are represented by objects, characters, or places. Fables, such as Aesop's Fables, are a type of allegory that often teach moral lessons through short narratives.