Aesop's fables

Caburus

Active Member
Which one is your favourite?
I like the one where the vixen mocks the lioness for only being able to bear one cub at a time.
The lioness replies "Only one - but a lion."
 

Myrddin

Well-Known Member
I haven't read anywhere near all of them, so I can't really name a favourite, but there are a few I like. "The Satisfied Wolf and the Ewe" in which the wolf asks a frightened ewe for three truths after which he will leave her alone. "The Injured Wolf and the Ewe" has a fallen wolf asking an ewe to bring him a drink after which he says he will find himself some food. But the ewe does not fall for the trick. Lastly, "Zeus, Prometheus, Athena and Momos" has each of the first three gods building a bull, a man, and a house, respectfully. They ask Momos to judge who, envious of their work, criticizes each negatively, resulting in him being banned from Olympus. Of the three, the latter is my favourite.
 

Alejandro

Active Member
I don't know about favourites, since I can recall only two fabulae, both featuring the sun-god Helios, of which two stories I like the second better.

In the first, when Helios was announcing his wedding (I think it might have been to his cousin the Oceanid Klymene), the frogs lifted up their voices in clamour to the sky. Zeus, disturbed by the noise of their croaking, inquired the cause of their complaint. One of them responded saying, "Helios, now while he is single, parches up the marsh, and compels us to die miserably in our arid homes. And now what will become of us if he should beget other suns?"

In the other story, Boreas, the chilly North Wind which blew in the midst of winter, and Helios, the Sun, once disputed as to which between the two of them was more powerful, and agreed that he should be declared the winner who could first strip a wayfaring man of his clothes. Boreas first tried by blowing with all his might, but the keener his blasts the closer the traveller wrapped his cloak around him until at last the Wind gave up and handed the turn over to Helios to see what he could do. The Sun suddenly shone out with all his warmth, and the traveller no sooner felt the sunlight than he took off one garment after another until finally, overcome with the heat, he bathed in a stream that lay in his path. Aesop concludes this with the maxim: Persuasion is better than force.
 

Myrddin

Well-Known Member
I don't know about favourites, since I can recall only two fabulae, both featuring the sun-god Helios, of which two stories I like the second better.

In the first, when Helios was announcing his wedding (I think it might have been to his cousin the Oceanid Klymene), the frogs lifted up their voices in clamour to the sky. Zeus, disturbed by the noise of their croaking, inquired the cause of their complaint. One of them responded saying, "Helios, now while he is single, parches up the marsh, and compels us to die miserably in our arid homes. And now what will become of us if he should beget other suns?"

In the other story, Boreas, the chilly North Wind which blew in the midst of winter, and Helios, the Sun, once disputed as to which between the two of them was more powerful, and agreed that he should be declared the winner who could first strip a wayfaring man of his clothes. Boreas first tried by blowing with all his might, but the keener his blasts the closer the traveller wrapped his cloak around him until at last the Wind gave up and handed the turn over to Helios to see what he could do. The Sun suddenly shone out with all his warmth, and the traveller no sooner felt the sunlight than he took off one garment after another until finally, overcome with the heat, he bathed in a stream that lay in his path. Aesop concludes this with the maxim: Persuasion is better than force.
I like the second better, as well. Interesting contest, too, wanting to strip a man of his clothes.:confused:
 

krugos

New Member
The Ant and the Grasshopper was in a fairy tales book my mother used to read me in my childhood, so I guess it will always be my favorite for nostalgic reasons.
 

Myrddin

Well-Known Member
The Ant and the Grasshopper was in a fairy tales book my mother used to read me in my childhood, so I guess it will always be my favorite for nostalgic reasons.
Could that also be known as "The Ant and the Scarab Beatle"?
 

Argus

New Member
I don't know about favourites, since I can recall only two fabulae, both featuring the sun-god Helios, of which two stories I like the second better.

In the first, when Helios was announcing his wedding (I think it might have been to his cousin the Oceanid Klymene), the frogs lifted up their voices in clamour to the sky. Zeus, disturbed by the noise of their croaking, inquired the cause of their complaint. One of them responded saying, "Helios, now while he is single, parches up the marsh, and compels us to die miserably in our arid homes. And now what will become of us if he should beget other suns?"

In the other story, Boreas, the chilly North Wind which blew in the midst of winter, and Helios, the Sun, once disputed as to which between the two of them was more powerful, and agreed that he should be declared the winner who could first strip a wayfaring man of his clothes. Boreas first tried by blowing with all his might, but the keener his blasts the closer the traveller wrapped his cloak around him until at last the Wind gave up and handed the turn over to Helios to see what he could do. The Sun suddenly shone out with all his warmth, and the traveller no sooner felt the sunlight than he took off one garment after another until finally, overcome with the heat, he bathed in a stream that lay in his path. Aesop concludes this with the maxim: Persuasion is better than force.
The second story is a real blast from the past (no pun intended). I remember hearing that story of the wind having a contest with the sun read by the teacher with cartoon pictures of it. Strange that you automatically remember a story you heard at such a young age, that you hadnt thought of since. It kinda makes sense it comes from old myth, being about the sun talking to the wind. Not sure it was told to us to show that persuasion is better than force, but i like it.
 

krugos

New Member
Could that also be known as "The Ant and the Scarab Beatle"?
I looked for "The Ant and the Scarab Beatle" online as I wasn't familiar with the title, but it is indeed the same story as "The Ant and the Grasshopper". I guess since these fables survive from so many different sources, none of which written by Aesop himself, variants are numberless.
 
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