Aesop

AESOP: A GREEK
STORY TELLER
Fables and more

Aesop portrayed in Art

Who is Aesop?
Legend has it that Aesop lived during the sixth
century BC. No one knows his birthplace for sure.
He was born a slave, and in his lifetime two
different masters owned him before being granted
his freedom. The slave masters were named,
Xanthus and Iadmon. The latter gave him his
freedom as a reward for his wit and intelligence.
As a freedman he became involved in public
affairs and travelled telling his fables along the
way. King Croesus of Lydia was so impressed
with Aesop that he offered him residency and a
job at his court.

Aesop and his fables

Daly, Lloyd W. Aesop Without Morals. New York:
Thomas Yoseloff, 1961.
While on a mission for King Croesus to Delphi in
Greece, there was a dispute over how much gold each
person in Delphi should get. Aesop became discouraged
because the Delphians did not appreciate the gift from
the King. Aesop decided to take it all back to King
Croesus. On his journey back the people of Delhi
tracked him down. Aesop was found guilty of sacrilege
against Apollo for the theft of a bowl and was
condemned to death by being hurled off a cliff.

The tortoise and the hare
One day a hare, bragging on how fast he could
be, laughed at a tortoise. The tortoise challenged
him to a race to determine the faster of the two. All
forest animals gathered to attend the race. The
race started and the hare, being a swift runner
soon left the tortoise behind. As he was sure of
himself, he stopped to play at the meadow and
then decided to take a little nap. He cuddled
against a tree and dozed. The turtle, never giving
up, went on moving taking one step after the
other. When the hare woke up, he rushed to the
finish line only to find the tortoise waiting for him.

The donkey and the salt
Once upon a time there was a farmer who had a
donkey for the chores. She loved the donkey and
often turned a blind eye to its stubbornness. One
day the farmer needed to carry salt to the next
village through the river. The donkey stumbled
and moved into the water dropping the salt. The
salt was lost but, as water was made lighter, the
donkey was saved. Another day, the donkey was
carrying sponges. The shrewd donkey thought of
dropping the sponges in the river to get rid of the
burden. Unfortunately, the sponges were soaked
in water and the poor donkey was drowned. He
had made his bed and so he had to lie in it, as the
saying goes.

The eagle and the fox
Once upon a time, there were two intimate friends, an
eagle and a fox. They lived close to each other. The
eagle built a nest in the branches of a tall tree while the
fox crept into the under-wood where she produced its
young. A little while later, the eagle being in search of
food for its young ones, swooped down, while the fox
was out, seized upon one of the cubs and feasted
herself and her brood. Upon its return, the fox was less
grieved for the loss of the young one than for its inability
to even the score. However, the eagle got what he
deserved. Not long after, the eagle accidentally set its
nest on fire. The little ones where roasted in their nest
only to be gobbled up by the fox lurking underneath.

The lion and the mouse
Once upon a time a lion was waken from its
afternoon nap by a group of noisy little mice.
The lion put his huge paw upon one of the little
creatures in great fury. The mouse pleaded for
mercy. The lion took compassion upon the tiny
mouse and released it. A few days later, the lion
became trapped in a hunter's net. His roars
made the whole forest tremble. The little mouse,
whose life was spared, approached the lion and
used its sharp little teeth to set the lion free
proving that one good turn deserves another.

The wind and the sun
One day the wind and the sun started disputing
over which one was stronger than the other. On
seeing a man approaching, they agreed to see
which one could remove the coat from the man's
back the quickest. The wind blew strong gusts
of air. The poor man held his coat tight against
him refusing to let go. It was now the sun's turn
who sent warm beams upon the traveler. The
sun did very little, but after a while, the man
became so warm that he took off his coat and
headed for the nearest shade tree.

A5
2 nd Model Experimental School for the
Virtual e-class project