The Fables of Aesop are the second most-read of all ancient Greek texts. Only the New Testament has had a greater distribution and readership. The life of Aesop, including his very existence, is itself a bit of a fable, but underneath the dust of the oral transmission are certainly some foundational truths. It’s pretty well accepted that Aesop lived in the 7th-6th centuries, BC, and that he had been a slave. Aristotle, Herodotus, and Plutarch, all of whom lived centuries after Aesop’s death, write about him. Tradition holds that he was from the island of Samos, and that he was an unusually ugly man who used his wits to obtain his freedom.
Herodotus called Aesop a “writer of fables,” but what is likely closer to the truth is that he was a compiler of already extant teaching fables featuring anthropomorphic animals. The earliest compilation of his work that survives is a Latin text from the 1st century, AD. The anonymously written Aesop Romance dating from the 2nd century AD offers a detailed biography but is considered almost entirely fictional. Sophocles mentions reading Aesop, and it is not a stretch to assume that Aesop had been read by all the classical playwrights and philosophers of Ancient Greece, or at least heard through oral transmission.
Most of these fables involve animals making right or wrong life choices, and the consequences, either good or bad, of those choices. The general through line of them is the critical contrast between wise and foolish behavior. In that, they resemble the Old Testament Book Of Proverbs, which predate Aesop by some centuries, and form a general call to wisdom as the best life choice. In a sense, Aesop used the Greek genius for creative storytelling seen in the old myths and the literature of the Golden Age to construct stories behind what can be recognized as proverbs from the Biblical book. By the way, the word “wisdom” in Hebrew literally means “skillful living.” That these tales have survived for some 2,500 years is a testament to their insight into the human condition and their universal power to instruct through visual images. In case one doesn’t get the lesson, it’s spelled out at the end of each fable in a pithy aphorism, such as:
“A man is known by the company he keeps.” (The Ass and the Purchaser)
“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” (The Lion and the Mouse)
“The gods helps them who help themselves.” (Hercules and the Wagoner)
“Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything.” (The Peacock and Hera)
“Poverty with security is better than plenty in the midst of fear and uncertainty.” (The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse)
“The Smaller the Mind, the Greater the Conceit” (The Gnat and the Bull)
No wonder Aesop has had such a long shelf life. Each of these aphorisms has the solid ring of truth. Other countries have their own version of Aesop, following the formula of a short story illustrating some truth about the human condition, many of which are simply an updated re-telling of Aesop. This includes France’s La Fontaine's Fables, Russia’s Krylov's Fables, and America’s Uncle Remus Tales.
Aesop’s life principles are also applied liberally to the modern Self-Help Movement, to be found in books such as Dale Carnagie’s How to Win Friends & Influence People, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, as well as several which directly apply Aesop to modern life (101 Life Lessons From Aesop, etc.)
Let’s take a look at a sampling of some of these stories. Some of these are well-known, while others you’ve likely never heard. After all, there are more than 600 fables extant.
The Ass and his Purchaser
A man needed an ass to work his farm, and went to his neighbor to purchase one. “You can try him before you buy him,” said the neighbor. The man thanked him, took the ass home, and put him with his other asses. The neighbor’s ass immediately chose to keep company with the man’s laziest animal. The man brought it back to his neighbor. “Back so soon?” the neighbor asked. “I don’t need to try him,” replied the man, “for he will be just like the one he chose for a companion.”
A man is known by the company he keeps.
The Lion and the Mouse
One day a mouse stepped on the nose of a sleeping lion. The lion woke up, and irritated, trapped the mouse under his paw. “Oh, please don’t kill me!” the mouse said. The lion was amused by this, but let the mouse go out of mercy. Some time later, while the lion was out and about, he became caught in a hunter’s net. Try as he might, he could not free himself. Along came the mouse, who gnawed at the net with his teeth, freeing the lion.
No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.
Hercules and the Wagoner
A man driving a horse drawn wagon after a heavy rain became stuck to his hubs in the mud. Instead of going to work getting unstuck, the man climbed down and began cursing his luck. He called upon Hercules to help him out. Hercules appeared, appraised the situation, and said to the man in disgust, “Stop whining and cursing, put your shoulder to the wheel, and urge your horses forward, man. You’ll get no help from me unless you help yourself.” The farmer did as he was told, and soon the wagon was out of the mud. (This fable is the origin of the English expression to put one’s shoulder to the wheel.)
The gods help those who help themselves.
The Peacock and Hera
The peacock, came to Hera, wife of Zeus, and said, “See here, I’m your favorite bird. But when I open my mouth to sing everyone laughs at the noise I make. Can’t you give me the ability to sing like the nightingale? “Dear Peacock,” Hera answered, to each bird has been given a certain gift. Speech to the parrot, innocence to the dove, strength to the eagle, and song to the nightingale. They are all content with what the Fates have given them. And you of all birds are the most beautiful. You, too, should be content with what was given you.”
Be content with your lot; one cannot be first in everything.
The City Mouse and the Country Mouse
A city mouse took a trip to visit his cousin in the country. The country mouse was very hospitable to his visiting cousin, but his food was plain; some corn, some bread, and a little cheese were all he had, but he had them in abundance. “How can you live with this boring diet?” the city mouse said. “If you come with me to the city, you’ll eat like a king!” So the country mouse accompanied his cousin back to the city where, true to his word, the city mouse treated his country cousin to leftovers from a great feast-beef and chicken, biscuits and gravy, cakes and pies, sweets and puddings. Suddenly they heard growling, then loud barking. The dog of the house had smelled them, and he chased the mice back into their hole. “Good-bye, Cousin!” said the country mouse. “Why, where are you going to?” asked the city mouse. “Back to the country,” the country mouse replied. “My food may be plain, but at least I can eat in peace.”
Poverty with security is better than plenty in the midst of fear and uncertainty.
The Gnat and the Bull
While a bull was grazing in a field, a gnat came and rested on of its horns. After taking its rest, the gnat prepared to fly off. “Bull, I bet you’re glad I’m leaving,” the gnat said. “Why do you say that, Gnat?” asked the bull. “Well, you won’t have the burden of me weighing you down anymore,” the gnat replied. The bull snorted and said, “What are you talking about? I never even noticed you were there in the first place.”
The smaller the mind, the greater the conceit.
