Aesops Fables

A collection of concise stories told by the Greek slave, Aesop.

This book offers a detailed analysis of the ethical content of the Greek fable and provides fascinating new information about the use of popular literature in Greece (fable, in particular) as a vehicle for the transmission of ethical norms.

Invite kids to build important reading and writing skills, learn about story structure, and discuss ethical behavior as they explore 12 classic fables. Reproducible read-aloud tales and instant writing prompts help children get the most out of each delightful tale, while whole-group discussion questions and activities deepen reading comprehension. Great for character education and creating a caring classroom community! Book jacket.

Aesop's ''Fables'' is regarded as the first book of juvenile literature. In these short tales the writer breathes life into the characters by endowing human qualities to animals. Written in a light-hearted tone, the writer ends each story on deep and profound moral. It is the most memorable collection of fables in world literature.

Aesop embodies an epigram not uncommon in human history; his fame is all the more deserved because he never deserved it. The firm foundations of common sense, the shrewd shots at uncommon sense, that characterise all the Fables, belong not him but to humanity. In the earliest human history whatever is authentic is universal: and whatever is universal is anonymous. In such cases there is always some central man who had first the trouble of collecting them, and afterwards the fame of creating them. He had the fame; and, on the whole, he earned the fame. There must have been something great and human, something of the human future and the human past, in such a man: even if he only used it to rob the past or deceive the future.

“A welcome feast of fables for our times … Carlo Gébler’s book is a wonderful, gloomy and welcome addition to the Aesopic corpus … The stories have been re-written in a spiky, contemporary style … The content of these pessimistic stories is thought-provoking but what makes the collection absolutely delightful is the vigor and originality of Carlo Gébler’s writing. The illustrations by Gavin Weston are likewise magnificent.” —The Irish Times “This repackaging of [Aesop's] fables by Carlo Gebler and illsutrator Gavin Weston is a reminder that adult minds were originally the target of this litany of pocket-sized parables ... There is very much a feeling here of the ancient sound-tracking the alarmingly present.” —Sunday Independent (Dublin) “Scary new versions of ancient morality tales, Aesop's Fables, with stings in all their tails [...] are full of adult wisdom, human misfortune and bitter experiences, which, because they happen to other people, are hilarious.” —Belfast Telegraph THE GREATEST COLLECTION OF FABLES EVER WRITTEN, UPDATED FOR OUR TURBULENT TIMES A witty illustrated version of the world's greatest collection of fables, allegedly written by a slave in the 5th century BC. A book for our times: as Gebler notes, Aesop has two subjects—the exercise of power and the experience of the powerless who endure life and all that it inflicts on them. This retelling of the Fables makes them relevant and richly enjoyable. Large and fierce animals kill and butcher weaker creatures; gods play games with the hopes and fears of lesser species, including men and women; and occasionally the weak turn the tables on the strong, exposing their pretensions. This is a stunning new version of a book that was often bowdlerized and used to teach moral lessons to children. Gebler’s Aesop is darker and more realistic, and compulsively readable.

ABOUT THE BOOK I was fascinated by Aesop’s fables as a child. The colorful animal characters and gripping plots captivated my imagination. I was intensely curious to find out how the conflict at hand would be resolved and what magical animal character would be introduced next. Still enthralled by this appealing genre, I now find myself amazed at how loudly the enchanting tales’ morals resonate in real life. Indeed, it is a struggle to find any Aesop moral that does not manifest itself in everyday life. I am taken by the fables’ unique ability to transcend geographic and cultural divides. This truly powerful meme has seen translations to countless languages worldwide as well as film adaptations, commercials and theater. The fables are an integral part of mainstream education worldwide and have even inspired a long list of widely used phrases and expressions. The impact of Aesop’s Fables on modern culture is immense. Rarely does a work of art bear such overwhelming relevance to human existence. This relevance may indeed be the secret to the fables’ long lasting appeal and unfading success. These fables don’t just entertain but deliver sound, prudent advice. Through the simplest of narratives they provide useful life-improving lessons such as, ‘Beware of False Flattery,’ ‘Prepare for a Rainy Day,’ ‘Beware the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing,’ and ‘Appreciate That Truth is in the Eye of the Beholder.’ As a writer I am in awe of Aesop’s storytelling skill and impeccable delivery. With cleverly crafted dialogue and immaculately thought-out hidden messages, Aesop leads readers to the one inevitable conclusion that is the moral of the story. His ability to guise human emotions in animal characters is uncanny, and his insight into human psyche simply priceless. MEET THE AUTHOR Hannah Gal is an award winning artist, filmmaker and writer. She studies fine arts and photography and exhibited work and films in in galleries and film festivals worldwide. Gal has been nominated to the prestigious Beck's Futures award and made the multi award winning Adobe commissioned film Breathe. This was followed by a documentary about the life of Leon Greenman (An Englishman in Auschwitz) and Savage based on the worst recorded case of child abuse in the US. Hannah's credits include The Independent, BBC1, Huffington Post, three book titles, MacWorld, PDN, MTV, Sky and many more. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK All fables teach a lesson but each fable’s moral is different. Through The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing we learn that appearances are often deceiving, while The Fox and the Lion concludes that familiarity breeds contempt. It is safe to say that the overriding consistent theme throughout all the fables is the advocacy of a decent, honest, wise and, in a sense, riotous behavior. Among other qualities, the morals promote prudence, patience, avoidance of futile arguments, consideration of others’ viewpoints, favoring action over cheap talk, planning ahead, unity, and caution. Some fables, such as Jupiter and the Monkey, maintain the positive theme but, rather than giving advice, simply offer observations on human behavior. Through this particular fable we learn that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, whereas The Goose Who Laid the Golden Eggs comments on how destructive human greed can be. The characters in Aesop’s fables are animals and objects that assume human qualities. These characters change from one short fable to another but carry the same motifs throughout the entire collection; the fox is always cunning, the tortoise remains timid and slow and the wolf is cruel in all the fables in which he appears. Aesop’s animal and object characters speak to each other and display human emotions, such as paternal love, jealousy, greed, and respect, among a multitude of others. At the heart of the fables there is always a dilemma or conflict which the characters work to resolve. This is a recurring theme in all of Aesop’s fables, where the curiosity-inducing conflict/dilemma is introduced very early on in the story and animals help bring it to a conclusion. The story of The Lion and the Mouse, for example, presents a situation in which the fierce lion is angry after being awakened by a mouse. The conflict here is in the mouse’s successful pleading for his life, with the suggestion that he might be able to return the favor some day, which the lion finds laughable. The improbable idea of a tiny mouse being of use to the king of the jungle is soon met when the mouse nibbles through a hunter’s net to free the trapped, exhausted lion. Buy a copy to keep reading!

Twenty-two classic fables, each with a delightful illustration to color, include "The Tortoise and the Hare," "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse," and more.

This is the second volume of 45 new and delightful fables, which involve animals, insects, people, and objects, and touch on a variety of social, moral and even political themes that are particularly relevant to this time. The fables, which have been written for third and fourth grade levels, will appeal to both young and old.

Educational resource for teachers, parents and kids!