Aesop's Fables: A New Revised Version From Original Sources

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

18732

Title

Aesop's Fables: A New Revised Version From Original Sources

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Aesop's Fables presents timeless moral tales featuring animals like wolves, foxes, and lions acting out human vices and virtues. This revised edition offers a collection of classic stories designed to instruct readers on justice, wisdom, and the consequences of folly through engaging, allegorical narratives.

Summary up to 500 words

Aesop's Fables: A New Revised Version from Original Sources presents the legendary life of Aesop, a slave born circa 620 B.C. who rose to prominence through his wit and wisdom. After gaining his freedom, he traveled extensively among Greek sages and courts, eventually serving King Croesus of Lydia. His life ended tragically in Delphi, where he was executed for refusing to distribute a treasury of gold, an act that earned him the enduring adage that the blood of the innocent cries out for justice. The volume compiles over 200 fables, each serving as a practical guide to ethical living and social navigation. The collection explores profound themes of tyranny and innocence, illustrated by 'The Wolf and the Lamb,' which demonstrates that oppressors will always find pretexts for cruelty, rendering reasoned argument against injustice futile. Vanity and misplaced trust are central concerns in tales like 'The Stag at the Pool,' where a creature admires its horns while despising its feet, only to be destroyed by the very traits it valued. The narrative warns against haste and lack of forethought through 'The Fox and the Goat,' where the goat descends a well without checking for an escape route, allowing the fox to trick and abandon it. Social dynamics and the dangers of envy permeate the stories. In 'The Bulls and the Frogs,' the powerful bulls fight to the death, inadvertently trampling the weak frogs who merely observed the conflict, highlighting how the innocent often suffer for the follies of the great. The collection also addresses the importance of character over status, urging readers to value substance over appearance. 'The Thief and His Mother' emphasizes the necessity of correcting early misdeeds, while 'The Dog Invited to Supper' cautions against greed and the folly of expecting to dine at a table one does not belong to. Ultimately, the fables serve as a timeless repository of practical wisdom. They teach that true worth lies in integrity rather than rank, that one should not seek to change their condition without ensuring a better outcome, and that self-help is often the most reliable aid. Through diverse narratives involving animals and humans alike, the book urges readers to act with foresight, recognize the value of their own strengths, and understand that deeds define professions more than words. The volume stands as a testament to the enduring power of simple stories to convey complex moral truths.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18732.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg18732.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-08-14 04:04 UTC

Categories

• Classics
• Fables