Home

Note: To start reading the fables, click on the Fables tab above!

Book cover of Three Hundred Aesop's Fables

Image via Wikipedia

Have you ever read the fables of Aesop (“Aesop’s Fables”)? Ever read Hans Christian Anderson, or the Grimm’s Fairytales? As time has gone on, I’ve found that more and more Americans are graduating high school without having read these foundational stories.

The purpose of this website is to make the fables accessible, both in print, and in audio format. Like Bugs Bunny cartoons, Aesop’s fables were written with animals as the main characters, while the stories actually convey adult concepts. Aesop originally told these stories in legal proceedings in his time, which was BCE. The stories were handed down and told to children to instill the basic concepts of civilization.

My concern is that without a population that has heard these stories and understands them, the fabric of our society could be in jeopardy.

Title page of Three Hundred Aesop's Fables

Image via Wikipedia

If you haven’t read the fables, and society or the world around you seems puzzling or incomprehensible, perhaps you’ve just found the reason why.

If you’ve never experienced these stories, then this website is for you. If you were exposed to them a long time ago, then this website is for you. If you would like a little adult humour, then this website is for you. If you’d lilke to educate your children, then this website is for you.

This website works like a familar blog, so you can leave comments on the fables, stories, or other posts. Why not register to this site (it’s free!) so you can leave comments more easily, and have full access to what’s available?

– Rex Latchford
http://rexlatchford.com

The Fables of Aesop

Image by dierken via Flickr

  • Ursula Aschenbottom

    I had been searching about your topic, Fables (Aesop, Anderson, Grimm, etc.), at one of the other forums I keep in my reader. You’re more or less in agreement with them. It seriously isn’t what I assumed, however I’m discovering now that I’m most certainly wrong… amazing..

    [Editor’s note: all comment URLs are removed due to the prevalence of comment-SPAM]

  • http://search.iwsearch.net/?mysearch=imbecile Gerald Buttwiper

    What a great web log. I spend hours on the net reading blogs, about tons of various subjects. I have to first of all give praise to you for writing what i can only describe as an fabulous article. I honestly believe there is a skill to writing articles that only very few posses and honestly you got it. The combining of demonstrative and upper-class content is by all odds super rare with the astronomic amount of blogs on the cyberspace.

    I hope you will click on my link to learn more about me.

    • Estella Museledge

      I’m not worthy to be in the same forum as you, Gerald. ROTFL

    • Olga Bendu

      You’re a real deep thinker. Thanks for shranig.

  • Librada Knerfel

    Nice post

  • http://www.global-store.ru/globalstore-info_1093261_5641069.html Max Beefs

    I’ve always been fascinated by Aesop’s Fables, especially when going through the phase of learning about Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations as a young man growing up in the 50’s. I share your view that for today’s clueless, who are unaware of history (and are thus doomed to repeat it), the fables in their original form may cause mental indigestion compared to an episode of the latest sitcom on TV (or now, the equivalent on the net).

    Your approach of personally re-writing the fables into modern context is daring, and I wish to congratulate you and encourage you in taking this step! So far I have most enjoyed your version of “Aesop and the Slave” and the most recent “The Beaver and the Testicles” and look forward to your next modernization. I can understand the practicality of retelling the fables in parable form, rather than as the original fables, it’s probably more accessible to the reader and more fun for you. As parables there is more opportunity to provide comedic sugar to help the medicine go down; a necessity in today’s pain/learning-averse culture. I understand that it will take time for you to put so much effort into each one, so here is my kudo to keep you motivated. I hope other readers will do the same!

    Your devoted reader,

    Max

  • Wendy Miller

    Thanks for making this site, and please keep writing updates to fables. Your site is funny. I remember reading Aesop’s fables, but they weren’t ever funny. Thanks for adding that in so the stories aren’t all so serious.

  • Ellipsoidal Review

    Glad to read this blog! Keep it going!

    • Cristine

      Those fairytales weren’t irngioally meant for kids they were for adults. I love collecting old versions of Hans and Grimm, but I don’t have any really old or amazing copies (yet). My friend has a very old (possibly original) Little Mermaid, so jealous.You should read some of Donna Jo Napoli’s fairytale versions, those stick to the gruesome and dark tales of not so pretty happily ever afters. For example Bound is a Chinese Cinderella story, the sister has toes chopped off so she can have small feel and than a raccoon starts gnawing on her feet. Go check out some of her work, they are awesome!

  • Alta Sowl

    Awesome writing style!

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003405573147 Melye

      Ah, those might not have been for children. But a rfneid of mine studied old German children’s stories throughout history and they were even more terrifying.Apparently they were all about demons and anything scary and meant to instill fear in children so they wouldn’t misbehave.Rather a tough way to keep your children quiet if you ask me.I’ll definitely check out Donna Jo Napoli’s fairytales!Oh that does sound gruesome. Almost as bad as actual foot binding. But it’s the raccoon that takes it over the top.

    • Djordje

      I am not going to lie, I have never read the Grimm’s tales, nor The Wizard of Oz or Through the Looking Glass and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland… In fact, I don’t recall ever sieneg some of the books film adaptations! But I must say that I love when books break apart in half from you opening and closing them so much! I mean, it is kinda sad, but it just shows how much the book truly means to you (last summer my sister and I had to tape up my copy of Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce because it completely broke apart… If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it!)

  • Gina Vuitton

    Hey, nicely done! I adore your writing style, so I will continue to read your blog. Please keep writing updated versions of the Fables!