Aesop s Fables May 2008 Reading Club

Outline 1. Aesop s Life 2. Illustrations 3. Fable I: 4. What Is A Fable? List some features. 5. Fable II: 6. Influence on Western culture 7. Fable III: 8. Interactions between East and West 9. Fable IV: 10. Conclusion: more than one dimensions

Aesop s Life Archaic Greek Archaic Greek Ancient (ca B.C.E.) Ancient (ca B.C.E.) by birth a slave. (p.s. or not exist) by birth a slave. (p.s. or not exist) He was owned by two masters in succession, both inhabitants of Samos, Xanthus and Jadmon, the latter of whom gave him his liberty as a reward for his learning and wit. He was owned by two masters in succession, both inhabitants of Samos, Xanthus and Jadmon, the latter of whom gave him his liberty as a reward for his learning and wit. More wikipedia: More wikipedia: Fables&printable=yes Fables&printable=yes

Illustrations

Fable I: The Wolf and the Lamb Wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf's right to eat him. He thus addressed him: "Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf, "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food and drink to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, "Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations." The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny. Wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf's right to eat him. He thus addressed him: "Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf, "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb, "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food and drink to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, "Well! I won't remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations." The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.

What Is A Fable? List some features.

1 Conveying instruction

2 Convey a hidden and secret meaning/ the reproof veiled

3 Skillful instruction of fictitious character

4 Inoculate some moral maxim, social duty, or political truth Inoculate some moral maxim, social duty, or political truth

5 Superiority of the counselor Superiority of the counselor

6 Fabulist = a great teacher

7 Censor of vice and commander of virtue Censor of vice and commander of virtue

8 To create a laugh

Originated in Greece in an intention travesty of human affair 9

10 One simple action, not over-laden with a multiplicity of details One simple action, not over-laden with a multiplicity of details Humble incidents to teach great truth Humble incidents to teach great truth

11 Animals and their natural attributes universal popular consent Animals and their natural attributes universal popular consent

Anthropomorphic animals 12

Fable II: The Bat and the Weasels A Bat who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second time escaped. It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.

Influence on Western Culture Story-telling Story-telling Children literature Children literature Fable and allegory Fable and allegory Christianity/ cf. Jesus Fables Christianity/ cf. Jesus Fables The distribution of Christianity to China and Asian countries The distribution of Christianity to China and Asian countries

Fable III: The Ant and the Grasshopper In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. "Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "I am helping my family to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same." "I am helping my family to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."

And... "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "we have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "we have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity. It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

Interactions between East and West Translation and transmission Translation and transmission Adaptation and rewriting Adaptation and rewriting Animal allegories Animal allegories Cultural intersections Cultural intersections

Fable IV: The Lion and the Mouse A Lion was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by st ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set him free, exclaim

And... "You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; I now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits on a Lion." "You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; I now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits on a Lion."

Conclusion: More than one dimension One-dimensional Man One-dimensional Man Fables and multiple readings Fables and multiple readings more than moral teachings more than moral teachings Life and wisdom Life and wisdom Keen observation Keen observation Word and world Word and world