Source: http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=m1ytmBVR0sUC&pg=PA58&lpg=PA58&dq=effect+of+fables&source=bl&ots=saT3FW-aFb&sig=7QZtPIh-DQfLUadSkH4uYhQWLZ8&hl=en&ei=a7iDSueeHNaSkAWzt6G7Bw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4#v=onepage&q=&f=false [p. 58]
Perhaps the most natural reason fables exist today is because of their universal appeal and easy adaptability. Many everyday expressions have been taken from these stories. Not only do fables echo life lessons but they also tell universal truths and present themes prevalent in life and in all genres of literature. In addition, the human belief that actions result in consequences can be taught and reinforced clearly through the medium of the fable.
Source: http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com/2008/08/fabulous-fables-trio-of-aesop.html
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Fabulous Fables – A Trio of Aesop
My son and I have been reading Aesop’s fables for a few weeks now. Part of the fun in sharing these has come from reading the same stories in different books. These are the three volumes we have been enjoying.
The Rabbit and the Turtle by Eric Carle – There are 11 fables retold and illustrated by Eric Carle in this book. Each double-page spread contains the fable on the left and a full page illustration of a scene or characters from the fable on the right. The moral of each story is highlighted at the bottom of the text in the same color as the title. We particularly enjoyed The Frog and the Ox, a fable accompanied by an illustration of two animal families dressed up and out for a stroll. We see Mr. Frog all puffed up, trying to be as big as Mr. Ox. He looks as though he’s about to float away, but upon reading the tale we learn he puffs himself up so much that he explodes!
Anno’s Aesop: A Book of Fables by Aesop and Mr. Fox by Mitsumasa Anno – In this volume, Anno gives readers two stories based on the same illustrations. Readers learn that a book of Aesop’s fables has been found by Freddy Fox, who begs his father to read him the tales. However, doesn’t know how to read. What we get then is a “book within a book” which is presented with the top portion (2/3) of the pages retelling selected fables from Aesop, while the bottom portion provides Mr. Fox’s interpretation of the pictures. This device makes for an interesting read, as Fox’s “reading” of the handsome woodcut illustrations doesn’t always match the fable.
Aesop’s Fables by Jerry Pinkney – This volume illustrated by Pinkney is by far the most comprehensive of the three, containing 61 fables. It also begins with an introduction in which Pinkney writes, “From my earliest years my parents used the powerful themes from the tales to teach my siblings and me about human folly and virtue. At the time, though, I was only interested in the stories’ compelling characters and their fast-paced, colorful narratives; I never really wondered about their purpose or origins.” What follows are well-known and lesser-known fables, some accompanied by full page illustrations, others by small glimpses of characters in the tales.
