Aesop's Fables

Abstract

This lovely book often brings high prices. Most of the illustrations are brown on white. Some add a golden background. A few show good wit. I would like to include one or two in a slide lecture. Having just worked through the texts extensively in late 1996, I would say that Leaf generally does well at presenting coherent modern stories. He pays good attention to storytelling dynamics, especially motivations and emotions. Ancient references are explained or adapted for readers not knowing, e.g., Greek mythology. The morals are sometimes insightful but sometimes quite platitudinous and banal. I have found eight stories of the 101 here that do not really come from Aesopic sources. Two are told quite differently from usual. The Hares and the Frogs (Perry 138, Leaf #45) has hares on their way out of a park that has been terrible to them. They are ready to die if they cannot find a better place to live. They do escape only to be blocked by a quiet brook. They are about ready to jump in and drown themselves when they have the usual surprise of the frogs fearing them. Similarly The Tortoise and the Eagle (Perry 230, Leaf #40) has a successful trip, complete with the turtle being returned to the ground. When the eagle asks for his promised reward, the tortoise laughs at him-and the eagle squashes the tortoise! I think it fair to say that Leaf owes a great deal in his versions to Croxall. This copy contains a copy of The Heritage Club Sandglass.