What are fables??
Thats what I was asking myself as I browsed through a multitude of information on
mythology.Not finding what I wanted there, I decided to devote my time to Fables.
I found a gold mine of information at; Aesop's Fables.org
Aesop's Fables
This compilation of Fables, which are always referred to as
Aesop's Fables, date back to the 5th Century BC
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What are Fables?
Fables are short stories which illustrate a particular moral and teach a lesson to
children. The theme and characters appeal to children and the stories are often
humorous and entertaining. Fables can also be described as tales or yarns which
have a message in their narrative such as a parable might have. Fables can
often pass into our culture as myths and legends.
The Characters of Fables?
The characters of fables and tales are usually animals who act and talk just
like people whilst retaining their animal traits.
Aesop's Fables
Aesop's famous fables and scripts provide great entertainment for children. The
fables, or stories, are all very short so keep the attention of children and
Aesop's fables feature familiar animals loved by children.
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A slave named Androcles once escaped from his master and fled to the forest.
As he was wandering about there he came upon a Lion lying down moaning
and groaning. At first he turned to flee, but finding that the Lion did not
pursue him, he turned back and went up to him. As he came near, the Lion put
out his paw, which was all swollen and bleeding, and Androcles found that a
huge thorn had got into it, and was causing all the pain. He pulled out the thorn
and bound up the paw of the Lion, who was soon able to rise and lick the hand
of Androcles like a dog.
Then the Lion took Androcles to his cave, and every day used to bring him
meat from which to live. But shortly afterwards both Androcles and the Lion
were captured, and the slave was sentenced to be thrown to the Lion, after
the latter had been kept without food for several days. The Emperor and all
his Court came to see the spectacle, and Androcles was led out into the middle
of the arena. Soon the Lion was let loose from his den, and rushed bounding
and roaring towards his victim. But as soon as he came near to Androcles
he recognised his friend, and fawned upon him, and licked his hands like
a friendly dog. The Emperor, surprised at this, summoned Androcles to
him, who told him the whole story. Whereupon the slave was pardoned and
freed, and the Lion let loose to his native forest.
Gratitude is the sign of noble souls
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Two neighbours came before Jupiter and prayed him to grant their hearts' desire. Now the one was full of avarice, and the other eaten up with envy. So to punish them both, Jupiter granted that each might have whatever he wished for himself, but only on condition that his neighbour had twice as much. The Avaricious man prayed to have a room full of gold. No sooner said than done; but all his joy was turned to grief when he found that his neighbour had two rooms full of the precious metal. Then came the turn of the Envious man, who could not bear to think that his neighbour had any joy at all. So he prayed that he might have one of his own eyes put out, by which means his companion would become totally blind.
Vices are their own punishment Avaricious and Envious Fable
An Aesop's Fable With a Moral***********************************************************************
A Horse and an Ass were travelling together, the Horse prancing along in its fine trappings, the Ass carrying with difficulty the heavy weight in its panniers.
"I wish I were you," sighed the Ass; "nothing to do and well fed, and all that fine
harness upon you." Next day, however, there was a great battle, and the Horse was wounded to death in the final charge of the day. His friend, the Ass, happened to pass by shortly afterwards and found him on the point of death. "I was wrong," said the Ass: Better humble security than gilded danger The Horse and the Ass Fable
An Aesop's Fable With a Moral********************************************************************
A quarrel had arisen between the Horse and the Stag, so the Horse came to a Hunter to ask his help to take revenge on the Stag. The Hunter agreed, but said: "If you desire to conquer the Stag, you must permit me to place this piece of iron between your jaws, so that I may guide you with these reins, and allow this saddle to be placed upon your back so that I may keep steady upon you as we follow after the enemy." The Horse agreed to the conditions, and the Hunter soon saddled and bridled him. Then with the aid of the Hunter the Horse soon overcame the Stag, and said to the Hunter: "Now, get off, and remove those things from my mouth and back."
"Not so fast, friend," said the Hunter. "I have now got you under bit and spur, and prefer to keep you as you are at present."
If you allow men to use you for your own purposes, they will use you for theirs The Horse, Hunter, and Stag Fable
An Aesop's Fable With a Moral*********************************************************************
Long ago, the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat. Some said this, and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet the case. "You will all agree," said he, "that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us. Now, if we could receive some signal of her approach, we could easily escape from her. I venture, therefore, to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the Cat. By this means we should always know when she was about, and could easily retire while she was in the neighbourhood."
This proposal met with general applause, until an old mouse got up and said:
"That is all very well, but who is to bell the Cat?" The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke. Then the old mouse said: It is easy to propose impossible remedies Belling the Cat Fable
An Aesop's Fable With a Moral*************************************************************************** |
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A Jay venturing into a yard where Peacocks used to walk, found there a number of feathers which had fallen from the Peacocks when they were moulting. He tied them all to his tail and strutted down towards the Peacocks. When he came near them they soon discovered the cheat, and striding up to him pecked at him and plucked away his borrowed plumes. So the Jay could do no better than go back to the other Jays, who had watched his behaviour from a distance; but they were equally annoyed with him, and told him:
It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds The Jay and the Peacock Fable
An Aesop's Fable With a Moral************************************************************************** |
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