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When were the first of Aesop's
great Book of fables written?
It is not known exactly when the first Book of Aesop's fables were
written as the fables were originally handed down from one
generation to the next just like a myths, tales and legends. It is, however, believed that Aesop lived
from about 620 to 560 B.C.
Who is Aesop?
Who is Aesop? Aesop is the name of
the man credited with the authorship of a collection or book of
fables. Aesop was a slave who many believe lived in Samos, a Greek
island in the eastern Aegean Sea but others say he came from
Ethiopia. The name of his first owner was Xanthus. It is believed
that he eventually became a free man. In Aesop's biography Planudes describes Aesop an
ugly, deformed dwarf, and the famous marble statue at the Villa
Albani in Rome depicts Aesop accordingly.
Aesop's Statue in Rome
Who is Aesop and where was he
born?
There are many possibilities relating to Aesop's place of birth,
although he certainly spent much of his life living in Greece at the
court of King Croesus in Athens. Suggestions for Aesop's place of
birth include Thrace, Greece, Phrygia, Ethiopia and Samos.
Who is Aesop and what did he look
like?
His very
name, Aesop, may however give us a clue to his country of origin.
The name Aesop is derived from the Greek word Aethiop which means
Ethiopia! And Aesop was described by Maximus Planudes
(c.1260-c.1330), the Byzantine scholar who wrote a biography of
Aesop and a prose version of Aesop's fables, as follows "His visage
was of black hue". In Aesop's biography Planudes describes Aesop an
ugly, deformed dwarf, and the famous marble statue at the Villa
Albani in Rome depicts Aesop accordingly.
When were Aesop's famous fables first
translated into English?
Aesop's fables were first printed in English by William Caxton in
1484, from his own translation made from the French. Aesop's fables
were not believed to have been written as Children's literature and
the book of fables were originally used to make thinly disguised social and
political criticisms. The similarity to parables or allegories can
be seen in most of the short tales in Aesops Book of Fables.
Aesop's fables?
Many of Aesop's fables in this compilation from the book have in fact since been
found on Egyptian papyri known to date between 800 and 1000 years
before Aesop's time. This clearly cast doubts on the authorship of
many of the fables attributed to Aesop and the Aesop's Fables book. Many of the fables were
possibly merely compiled by Aesop from existing fables, much in the
same way that the Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes were but a new
compilation of existing rhymes!
The Morals, Sayings and Proverbs
featured in Aesop's fables
Each one of Aesop's fables has a lesson, or moral, to teach to children - just
like a parable or allegory. A
moral is added at the bottom of each of Aesop's fables. Many of the
Morals, Sayings and Proverbs featured in Aesop's fables are well
known today. Some of the most famous morals are as follows:
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Moral - "Appearances often are
deceiving." - Aesop's fables: The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
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Moral - "Familiarity breeds
contempt." - Aesop's fables: The Fox and the Lion
-
Moral - "Slow and steady wins
the race." - Aesop's fables:
The Hare and the Tortoise
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Moral - "One person's meat is
another's poison." - Aesop's fables: The Ass and the Grasshopper
-
Moral - "Things are not always
what they seem." - Aesop's fables: Bee-Keeper and the Bees
-
Moral - "Never trust a
flatterer."- Aesop's fables: Fox and the Crow
-
Moral - "Beware the wolf in
sheep's clothing." - Aesop's fables: The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
-
Moral - "Little friends may
become great friends." - Aesop's fables: Lion and the Mouse
The Morals, Sayings and
Proverbs featured in the Book of Aesop's fables ensure that they still have
meaning for us today.
Free, online book of Aesop's fables
All of the famous fables by Aesop are featured on this site. They
are printer friendly and the favourite of these kids and children's fables
can be chosen and printed to create a tailor made book of children's
fables by Aesop. Click here for other
famous short stories.
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