The Meaning of Aesop's Fables
Aesop's fables have become beloved classics adored by centuries of young children. One of the reasons they have endured so well is because they all impart a message or meaning, transforming the fable into a lesson on how to behave in the world.
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Animals
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Many of Aesop's fables involve talking animals who face a dilemma. Their behavior imitates human actions, which allows their lessons to be imparted in a more oblique (and amusing) way.
Morality
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The messages themselves vary from fable to fable, but are bound by common themes of morality. Figures who behave with forthrightness are rewarded, while those who act foolishly are punished.
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Ingenuity
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Aesop's fables also reward figures who could think on their feet and solve problems with a little creative thinking. Consider, for instance, the story of the Crow and the Bottle, in which the crow uses pebbles to raise the liquid in a wine bottle which he couldn't reach just by dipping his beak in.
Elegance
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Aesop's messages retain their power because they are married so completely to the narrative, granted them a special elegance. Stories like "The Tortoise and the Hare" or "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" thus become an easy shorthand way of conveying a given lesson.
Inspiration
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The meaning imparted in Aesop's fables served as a blueprint for other pieces of folklore. The works of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, for example, also contain overt lessons which help their readers address life's problems.
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