What follows is a series of instructive fables, allegedly composed by Aesop, an ancient fabulist who composed more than 650 such fables over 2500 years ago!

  We know today, however, that not all of the fables to his credit are that old. Some are older! And some may actually be only several hundred years old!¹ Nevertheless, lazy-minded humans that we are, we've somehow combined them all together over the centuries and given total credit solely to one ancient author! Largely, this may be due to our uncertainties in their true authorship, and for the sake of convenience, upon encountering some old, possibly ancient, fable for which we haven't any recorded author we just say, "Aesop must have been the author!”

  Although it is possible for one man to have single-handedly authored over 650 wonderful fables himself, take a look at this simple math:

If Aesop did compose all 650 or so fables himself, assume that he might have required, perhaps, 2-3 weeks to introspect, recognize, imagine and compose each and every one. Then, the enormous task of compiling over 650 of them would have demanded a grand total of approximately 30 years! Furthermore, we are told, in his lifetime Aesop was allegedly a slave first to one master, then to another master, then freed, and then a traveling instructor/ambassador! Aesop lived to the age of 60. Yes, feasible, but not likely humanly possible (especially since the era in question was over 2500 years ago!).

  More than likely, Aesop collected, retold, shared and revised many fables passed along to him. Though he might have composed some, he likely did not single-mindedly compose most. Despite the ambiguities, however, here is a favorite selection of fables from our ancestors, delightful to read regardless of their precise authorship. Notes follow italicized.

A Crab And Its Mother

A Mother Crab once said to her son, "Why do you walk so one-sided my child? It is far more becoming to go straight forward." The young Crab replied, "Quite true, dear Mother; and if you will show me the straight way, I will promise to walk in it!" The Mother tried in vain but then submitted without remonstrance to the rebuke of her child.

Example is more powerful than precept.

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A Crow And The Raven

A Crow was jealous of the Raven, because the Raven was considered a bird of good omen and always attracted the attention of men, who predicted by his flight good or evil courses for future events. Seeing some travelers approaching, the Crow flew up into a tree and, perching on one of the branches, cawed as loudly as he could. The travelers turned toward the sound and wondered what it foreboded. One of them then said to his companion, "Let us proceed on with our journey, my friend, for it is only a loud caw of a crow, and you already know the crow is no omen."

Those who assume a character which does not belong to them only make themselves look ridiculous.

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A Dog And His Reflection

A Dog, crossing a bridge over a stream with a piece of meat in his mouth, saw his own reflection in the water and took it for that of another Dog with a piece of meat like his but double in size. He immediately let go of his own and fiercely attacked the other Dog to get to the larger piece. Consequently, he lost both, because that which he grasped at in the water was merely a reflection, and his own fell in the stream and was swept away.

(1) Caution before proceeding. What you think you see may not actually be. (2) Beware the consequences to your own actions. Imagine possible unwanted outcomes before doing. (3) Keep what’s rightfully yours without attempting to grab what are rightfully others’!

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A Fisherman And A Little Fish

A Fisherman, who lived on the produce of his nets, one day caught only one small Fish as a result of his total day's labor. The Fish, panting fitfully and entreating for his life said, "O Sir, what good can I be to you, for how little am I worth? I am not yet filled to my full size. Pray spare my life, and put me back into the sea. I shall soon become a large fish fit for the tables of the rich, and then you can catch me again and make a handsome profit of me!" The Fisherman replied, "I should indeed be a very simple fellow if for the chance of a greater uncertain profit I were to forego my present certain gain."

Value "little-yet-certain now” more so than "greater-but-uncertain later.”

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A Hare And A Tortoise

A Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of a Tortoise, who replied laughing, "Though you be swift as the wind, I shall beat you in a race!" The Hare, believing the Tortoise's exclamation utterly impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed for their friend, a Fox, to choose the course and fix a goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped but steadfastly plodded on, with a slow pace but straight forth to the end of the course. The Hare, however, feeling confident in subsequent victory, reclined on the wayside and fell fast asleep. At last waking up, he moved as fast as he could but saw then the Tortoise had already reached their goal and was comfortably dozing because of fatigue.

Slow but steady wins the race.

Overconfidence leads to loss. Perseverance and hard work lead to victory.

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A Man And A Lion

As a Man and a Lion traveled together through the forest they soon began to boast of their respective superiority to each other in strength and prowess. As they were disputing, they passed a statue carved in stone depicting a lion strangled by a man. The Man traveler pointed to it and said, "See there! How strong we are! And how we prevail over even the king of beasts!" The Lion replied, "That statue was made by one of you men. If we Lions were able to erect statues ourselves you would see a man placed under the paw of a lion."

One story is good till another is told.

We prefer to see what we prefer to be true (e.g., art as reality).

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A Milkmaid And Her Pail

A farmer's daughter, holding her Pail of milk atop her head, and walking from the field to the farmhouse, began musing to herself, "The money for which this milk will be sold will buy at least three hundred eggs. The eggs, allowing for all mishaps, will then produce two hundred and fifty chickens. The chickens should then be ready for market when poultry customarily fetches the highest price ... so that by year's end I shall have money enough from my share to buy a new dress. And in this dress I'll go to all the banquets and parties where all the young fellows will propose to me, but I shall just as soon toss my head back and refuse them ... every single one!" At that moment she tossed her head back, coincidental with her thoughts, when down fell the Pail of milk to the ground, and all her planning then perished in that moment.

Better to wait for actualization than plan too vigorously on FALSE EXPECTATIONS.

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A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

Once upon a time a Wolf resolved to disguise his appearance in order to secure food more easily. Clothed within the skin of a former sheep, he pastured with the flock, deceiving the shepherd by his costume. Near evening, though, the disguised Wolf and sheep were shut up by the shepherd in an enclosure; the gate was closed, and entrance made thoroughly secure. The shepherd, returning during the night in order to obtain meat for the next day, mistakenly caught the Wolf instead of a sheep and killed him instantly.

Harm seek. Harm find.

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The Ants And A Grasshopper

The Ants were passing a busy winter's day drying grain collected in the summertime. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, hopped by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired, "Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?" The Grasshopper replied, "I had not enough leisure. I passed all my summer days in singing." The Ants then heckled in derision, "If you were foolish enough to sing all summer long, you must dance supper-less to bed in the winter."

Advance preparation provides the keys for subsequent success.

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References and Links

1. Interapple Inc.'s Free Online Library: Life of Aesop at http://aesop.thefreelibrary.com/Fables/1-1.

2. For TheFreeLibrary.com's on-line collection of over 400 fables, see http://aesop.thefreelibrary.com/Fables.

3. The above fables are all adapted from a collection translated by George Fyler Townsend and publicly posted at the web site of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: http://classics.mit.edu/Aesop/fab.html.

4. For a collection of over 656 fables, see John R. Long's ÆSOP'S FABLES, Online Collection: http://www.aesopfables.com/.

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