Fables are short narratives that use animal characters with human features (the ability to talk, having human feelings and emotions) in order to pass on to the reader bits of wisdom. Fables help us understand human nature and human behavior, even though the characters are animals.
Many fables are old, old stories. The legendary author of many fables, Aesop, lived in ancient Greece. But fables come from all over the world and have been enjoyed by people throughout history.
One of the most important parts of a fable is the "moral" of the story. The moral is the important life lesson we learn from reading the fable.
Let's look at a very well-known fable of Aesop: The Lion and the Mouse. After viewing the fable, we'll talk about the moral of the story.
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| The Lion and the Mouse illustrated by Jerry Pinkney / 398.2 PIN |
Which of the following statements do you think expressed the moral of the story the best? Remember: the moral is the lesson we learn about life from reading the fable.
- Liars have no friends.
- A kindness is never wasted.
- Do not attempt too much at once.
Let's look at some other well-known fables:
