Fables are short stories which illustrate a particular moral, or teach the reader a lesson. The theme and characters appeal to children and the stories are often humorous and entertaining. Fables can often pass into our culture as myths and legends. The characters of fables and tales are usually animals who act and talk just like people whilst retaining their animal traits. The fables, or stories, accredited to Aesop are all very short so keep the attention of children and feature familiar animals loved by children.

It is believed that Aesop lived from about 620 to 560 B.C. and, although his place of birth is uncertain, he spent much of his life living in Greece at the court of King Croesus in Athens.

Aesop's fables were first printed in English by William Caxton in 1484, from his own translation made from the French. The fables were originally used to make thinly disguised social and political criticisms.

Here are a few examples of Aesop's Fables…

The Travellers And The Bear
The Fox And The Crow
The Dove And The Ant
The Fox And The Woodcutter
The Hare And The Tortoise

A legend is a very old story or set of stories from ancient times, or the stories, not always true, that people tell about a famous event or person. The Legend of King Arthur and the Legend Robin Hood are amongst the most famous.

The Legend of King Arthur
The Legend of Robin Hood

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