Aesop's Fables; a new translation
Aesop
Aesop's Fables; a new translation
4h 33m listening
4.05from 130,949 ratingson Goodreads
"Aesop's Fables; a new translation" by Aesop is a collection of fables credited to a storyteller who lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. These short tales feature talking animals and plants that teach moral lessons through simple scenarios. Originally part of oral tradition, the fables were collected centuries after Aesop's death and have continuously expanded to include stories from diverse sources across time and cultures, becoming timeless tools for ethical instruction.
Contains spoilers for the entire book
- Themes
- Atmosphere
About the book
The fables attributed to Aesop, said to have been a slave in Greece in the sixth century BC, are among the oldest stories in Europe and have been retold for more than two thousand years. This collection was translated by V. S. Vernon Jones and published in 1912 with illustrations by Arthur Rackham and an introduction by G. K. Chesterton. The fables are brief, and most end with a stated moral. Foxes, lions, wolves, crows and tortoises act out lessons about greed, vanity, prudence and the use of power, in stories such as The Fox and the Grapes, The Hare and the Tortoise and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Their simplicity is part of their endurance, and many of their phrases have entered everyday speech.
Characters
The Fox — Recurring animal figure
A clever, opportunistic figure appearing in several separate fables, including The Fox and the Grapes.
The Lion — Recurring animal figure
A figure of strength and authority whose encounters with weaker animals test the uses and limits of power.
The Mouse — The Lion and the Mouse
A small creature whose encounter with a lion gives unexpected importance to an act of kindness.
The Hare — The Hare and the Tortoise
A swift runner whose confidence leads him to underestimate a slower competitor.
The Tortoise — The Hare and the Tortoise
A slow but persistent competitor who accepts the hare's challenge.
The Shepherd's Boy — The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf
A boy whose false alarms test the trust of the people he calls upon for help.