Some of Aesop's Fables with Modern Instances

By Aesop

Aesop was an Ancient Greek fabulist or story teller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains uncertain and (if they ever existed) no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. Many of the tales are characterized by animals and inanimate objects that speak, solve problems, and generally have human characteristics.

Scattered details of Aesop's life can be found in ancient sources, including Aristotle, Herodotus, and Plutarch. An ancient literary work called The Aesop Romance tells an episodic, probably highly fictional version of his life, including the traditional description of him as a strikingly ugly slave who by his cleverness acquires freedom and becomes an adviser to kings and city-states. Older spellings of his name have included Esop(e) and Isope. A later tradition (dating from the Middle Ages) depicts Aesop as a black Ethiopian. Depictions of Aesop in popular culture over the last 2500 years have included several works of art and his appearance as a character in numerous books, films, plays, and television programs.

Abandoning the perennial image of Aesop as an ugly slave, the movie Night in Paradise (1946) cast Turhan Bey in the role, depicting Aesop as an advisor to King Croesus who falls in love with the king's intended bride, a Persian princess played by Merle Oberon. There was also the 1953 teleplay Aesop and Rhodope by Helene Hanff, broadcast on Hallmark Hall of Fame with Lamont Johnson playing Aesop.

The musical Aesop's Fables by British playwright Peter Terson was first produced in 1983. In 2010, the play was staged at the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, South Africa with Mhlekahi Mosiea as Aesop.

Most of these Fables have been handed down to us in a Greek form: for these Halm's text has been used. 

The Translations aim at replacing the florid style of our older English versions, and the stilted harshness of more modern ones, by a plainness and terseness more nearly like the character of the originals.


The reason of this is, that in the collaboration the Designer and Translator have not been on terms of equal authority; the former has stood unshakeably by English tradition, and has had his own way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aegitas
• Release date: Jun 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9780369408549

Book preview

Table of Contents

The Fox and the Crow.

The Ass in the Lion's skin.

The Fisherman and the Little Fish.

The Jackdaw and the Doves.

The Coppersmith and his Puppy.

The Frogs desiring a King.

The Dog and the Wolf.

The Stag looking into the Water.

The Frogs and the fighting Bulls.

The Lion and other Beasts.

The Fox and the Stork.

The Horse and the Stag.

The Cock and the Jewel.

The Ass, the Lion, and the Cock.

The Wolf and the Lamb.

The Man and his two Wives.

The Fox without a Tail.

The Eagle and the Fox.

The Ox and the Frog.

The Hawk chasing the Dove.

The Dog and the Shadow.

The Wolf and the Crane.

The Man and the Serpent

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

The Fox and the Crow

The Sick Lion

The Ass and the Lapdog

The Lion and the Mouse

The Swallow and the Other Birds

The Frogs Desiring a King

The Mountains in Labour

The Hares and the Frogs

The Wolf and the Kid

The Woodman and the Serpent

The Bald Man and the Fly

The Fox and the Stork

The Fox and the Mask

The Jay and the Peacock

The Frog and the Ox

Androcles

The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts

The Hart and the Hunter

The Serpent and the File

The Man and the Wood

The Dog and the Wolf

The Belly and the Members

The Hart in the Ox-Stall

The Fox and the Grapes

The Horse, Hunter, and Stag

The Peacock and Juno

The Fox and the Lion

The Lion and the Statue

The Ant and the Grasshopper

The Tree and the Reed

The Fox and the Cat

The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

The Dog in the Manger

The Man and the Wooden God

The Fisher

The Shepherd's Boy

The Young Thief and His Mother

The Man and His Two Wives

The Nurse and the Wolf

The Tortoise and the Birds

The Two Crabs

The Ass in the Lion's Skin

The Two Fellows and the Bear

The Two Pots

The Four Oxen and the Lion

The Fisher and the Little Fish

Avaricious and Envious

The Crow and the Pitcher

The Man and the Satyr

The Goose With the Golden Eggs

The Labourer and the Nightingale

The Fox, the Cock, and the Dog

The Wind and the Sun

Hercules and the Waggoner

The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey

The Miser and His Gold

The Fox and the Mosquitoes

The Fox Without a Tail

The One-Eyed Doe

Belling the Cat

The Hare and the Tortoise

The Old Man and Death

The Hare With Many Friends

The Lion in Love

The Bundle of Sticks

The Lion, the Fox, and the Beasts

The Ass's Brains

The Eagle and the Arrow

The Milkmaid and Her Pail

The Cat-Maiden

The Horse and the Ass

The Trumpeter Taken Prisoner

The Buffoon and the Countryman

The Old Woman and the Wine-Jar

The Fox and the Goat

NOTE.

Aesop (/ˈiːsɒp/ ee-sop; Ancient Greek: Αἴσωπος, Aisōpos, c. 620–564 BCE) was an Ancient Greek fabulist or story teller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains uncertain and (if they ever existed) no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. Many of the tales are characterized by animals and inanimate objects that speak, solve problems, and generally have human characteristics.

Scattered details of Aesop's life can be found in ancient sources, including Aristotle, Herodotus, and Plutarch. An ancient literary work called The Aesop Romance tells an episodic, probably highly fictional version of his life, including the traditional description of him as a strikingly ugly slave (δοῦλος) who by his cleverness acquires freedom and becomes an adviser to kings and city-states. Older spellings of his name have included Esop(e) and Isope. A later tradition (dating from the Middle Ages) depicts Aesop as a black Ethiopian. Depictions of Aesop in popular culture over the last 2500 years have included several works of art and his appearance as a character in numerous books, films, plays, and television programs.

Abandoning the perennial image of Aesop as an ugly slave, the movie Night in Paradise (1946) cast