Books with author Æsop Æsop

+ ++Active Table of Contents+++Original Illustrated Over 110 since 1814 So much has been already said concerning Æsop and his writings, both by ancient and modern authors, that the subject seems to be quite exhausted. The different conjectures, opinions, traditions, and forgeries, which from time to time we have had given to us of him, would fill a large volume: but they are, for the most part, so inconsistent and absurd, that it would be but a dull amusement for the reader to be led into such a maze of uncertainty: since Herodotus, the most ancient Greek historian, did not flourish till near an hundred years after Æsop. Contents:1. The Cock and the Jewel2. The Wolf and the Lamb3. The Lion and the Four Bulls4. The Frog and the Fox5. The Ass eating Thistles6. The Lark and her Young Ones7. The Cock and the Fox8. The Fox in the Well9. The Wolves and the Sheep10. The Eagle and the Fox11. The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing12. The Fowler and the Ring-Dove13. The Sow and the Wolf14. The Horse and the Ass15. The Wolf, the Lamb, and the Goat16. The Kite and the Pigeons17. The Country Mouse and the City Mouse18. The Swallow and other Birds19. The Hunted Beaver20. The Cat and the Fox21. The Cat and the Mice22. The Lion and other Beasts23. The Lion and the Mouse24. The Fatal Marriage25. The Mischievous Dog26. The Ox and the Frog27. The Fox and the Lion28. The Ape and the Fox29. The Dog in the Manger30. The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat31. The Fox and the Tiger32. The Lioness and the Fox33. The Oak and the Reed34. The Wind and the Sun35. The Kite, the Frog, and the Mouse36. The Frogs desiring a King37. The Old Woman and her Maids38. The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox39. The Crow and the Pitcher40. The Porcupine and the Snakes41. The Hares and Frogs in a Storm42. The Fox and the Wolf43. The Dog and the Sheep44. The Peacock and the Crane45. The Viper and the File46. The Ass, the Lion, and the Cock47. The Jackdaw and Peacocks48. The Ant and the Fly49. The Ant and the Grasshopper50. The Countryman and the Snake51. The Fox and the Sick Lion52. The Wanton Calf53. Hercules and the Carter54. The Belly and the Members55. The Horse and the Lion56. The Husbandman and the Stork57. The Cat and the Cock58. The Leopard and the Fox59. The Shepherd's Boy60. The Fox and the Goat61. Cupid and Death62. The Old Man and his Sons63. The Stag and the Fawn64. The Old Hound65. Jupiter and the Camel66. The Fox without a Tail67. The Fox and the Crow68. The Hawk and the Farmer69. The Nurse and the Wolf70. The Hare and the Tortoise71. The Young Man and his Cat72. The Ass in the Lion's Skin73. The Mountains in Labour74. The Satyr and the Traveller75. The Sick Kite76. The Hawk and the Nightingale77. The Peacock's Complaint78. The Angler and the Little Fish79. The Geese and the Cranes80. The Dog and the Shadow81. The Ass and the Little Dog82. The Wolf and the Crane83. The Envious Man and the Covetous84. The Two Pots85. The Fox and the Stork86. The Bear and the Bee-Hives87. The Travellers and the Bear88. The Trumpeter taken Prisoner89. The Partridge and the Cocks90. The Falconer and the Partridge91. The Eagle and the Crow92. The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox93. The Fox and the Grapes94. The Horse and the Stag95. The Young Man and the Swallow96. The Man and his Goose97. The Dog and the Wolf98. The Wood and the Clown99. The Old Lion100. The Horse and the Loaded Ass101. The Old Man and Death102. The Boar and the Ass103. The Tunny and the Dolphin104. The Peacock and the Magpie105. The Forester and the Lion106. The Stag looking into the Water107. The Stag in the Ox-Stall108. The Dove and the Ant109. The Lion in Love110. The Tortoise and the Eagle

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. The story of Arthur may have been really connected with the most fighting Christianity of falling Rome or with the most heathen traditions hidden in the hills of Wales. But the word "Mappe" or "Malory" will always mean King Arthur; even though we find older and better origins than the Mabinogian; or write later and worse versions than the "Idylls of the King." The nursery fairy tales may have come out of Asia with the Indo-European race, now fortunately extinct; they may have been invented by some fine French lady or gentleman like Perrault: they may possibly even be what they profess to be. But we shall always call the best selection of such tales "Grimm's Tales": simply because it is the best collection.

Æsop's Fables: Embellished with One Hundred and Eleven Emblematical Devicesby ÆsopPREFACE,BY S. CROXALL.So much has been already said concerning Æsop and his writings, both by ancient and modern authors, that the subject seems to be quite exhausted. The different conjectures, opinions, traditions, and forgeries, which from time to time we have had given to us of him, would fill a large volume: but they are, for the most part, so inconsistent and absurd, that it would be but a dull amusement for the reader to be led into such a maze of uncertainty: since Herodotus, the most ancient Greek historian, did not flourish till near an hundred years after Æsop.As for his Life, with which we are entertained in so complete a manner, before most of the editions of his Fables, it was invented by one Maximus Planudes, a Greek Monk; and, if we may judge of him from that composition, just as judicious and learned a person, as the rest of his fraternity are at this day observed to be. Sure there never were so many blunders and childish dreams mixed up together, as are to be met with in the short compass of that piece. For a Monk, he might be very good and wise, but in point of history and chronology, he shows himself to be very ignorant. He brings Æsop to Babylon, in the reign of king Lycerus, a king of his own making; for his name is not to be found in any catalogue, from Nabonassar to Alexander the Great; Nabonadius, most probably, reigning in Babylon about that time. He sends him into Egypt in the days of Nectanebo, who was not in being till two hundred years afterwards; with some other gross mistakes of that kind, which sufficiently show us that this Life was a work of invention, and that the inventor was a bungling poor creature. He never mentions Æsop's being at Athens; though Phædrus speaks of him as one that lived the greatest part of his time there; and it appears that he had a statue erected in that city to his memory, done by the hand of the famed Lysippus. He writes of him as living at Samos, and interesting himself in a public capacity in the administration of the affairs of that place; yet, takes not the least notice of the Fable which Aristotle tells us he spoke in behalf of a famous Demagogue there, when he was impeached for embezzling the public money; nor does he indeed give us the least hint of such a circumstance. An ingenious man might have laid together all the materials of this kind that are to be found in good old authors, and, by the help of a bright invention, connected and worked them up with success; we might have swallowed such an imposition well enough, because we should not have known how to contradict it: but in Planudes' case, the imposture is doubly discovered; first, as he has the unquestioned authority of antiquity against him; secondly, (and if the other did not condemn him) as he has introduced the witty, discreet, judicious Æsop, quibbling in a strain of low monastic waggery, and as archly dull as a Mountebank's Jester.

Excerpt: ...bounds of society. Indeed, the sin of ingratitude is so detestable, that as none but the most inhuman temper can be guilty of it, so, in writing to men, there is no occasion to use many words, either in exposing the vice itself, or dissuading people from the commission of it. Therefore it is not likely that a person of Æsop's sagacity would have compiled this fable, without having something else in view besides this trite and obvious subject. He certainly intended to put us in mind that, as none but a poor silly clown would go to take up a Snake and cherish it, so we shall be very negligent and ill-advised if, in doing good offices, we do not take care to bestow our benevolence upon proper objects. It was not at all unnatural in the Snake to hiss, and brandish his tongue, and fly at the first that came near him; as soon at the person that saved his life as any other; indeed, more likely, because nobody else had so much to do with him. Nor is it strange at any time to see a reprobate fool throwing his poisonous language about, and committing his extravagancies against those, 123 more especially, who are so inadvertent as to concern themselves with him. The Snake and the reprobate will not appear extraordinary in their malevolence: but the sensible part of mankind cannot help thinking those guilty of great indiscretion, who receive either of them into their protection. 124 FABLE LI. THE FOX AND THE SICK LION. It was reported that the Lion was sick, and the beasts were made to believe that they could not make their court better than by going to visit him. Upon this they generally went; but it was particularly taken notice of, that the Fox was not one of the number. The Lion therefore dispatched one of his Jackals to sound him about it, and ask him why he had so little charity and respect, as never to come near him, at a time when he lay so dangerously ill, and every body else had been to see him?

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification: ++++ <title> Fables<author> Æsop<publisher> S. R. Wells, 1868<subjects> Social Science; Folklore & Mythology; Fables; Social Science / Folklore & Mythology