Aesop's Fables (Illustrated by Arthur Rackham with an Introduction by G. K. Chesterton) by Aesop

Aesop's Fables (Illustrated by Arthur Rackham with an Introduction by G. K. Chesterton) by Aesop

The history of the fable likely does not originate with Aesop; however it is with him that we associate the fable's most ancient of known origins. Little is actually known of the life of Aesop. According to the historical accounts of Herodotus, Aristotle, and Plutarch, he was a slave from the Greek island of Samos who lived between 620 and 564 BC. Described as a strikingly ugly man he is said to have secured his freedom through his cleverness. Known for his wit, Aesop would become employed as an advisor by kings and city-states. The simplicity of the fable cannot be overstated. The short narrative form and the use of animals to personifying particular human characteristics makes the fable a particularly useful form of instruction for imparting bits of wisdom to children. Dozens of fables have been attributed to Aesop, however given their sometimes conflicting moral lessons, the attribution of some fables to Aesop is considered by certain scholars as to be spurious. Collected together here are some of the most famous examples of Aesop's fables. This edition follows the translation of V. S. Vernon Jones, includes an introduction by G. K. Chesterton, is illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Aesop, according to various sources, was born in Phrygia, Lydia, Thrace, or Sardis, and lived from about 620 to 560 B.C. Little is known about his life, but Aristotle mentioned his acting as a public defender, and Plutarch numbered him as one of the Seven Wise Men. It is generally believed he was a slave, freed by his master because of his wit and wisdom. As Aesop became famous for his fables, which used animals as a code to tell the truth about political injustice, he incurred the wrath of the rulers, either in Athens or Delphi, and was executed. In about 300 B.C., Demetrius Phalereus of Athens made the first known collection of Aesop's fables, which then spread far beyond the Greek world.

Jack Zipes is a professor of German at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of several books of fairy tales, including Breaking the Magic Spell and Don't Bet on the Prince. He is also the editor of several volumes of fairy tales, including Beauties, Beasts and Enchantment: Classic French Fairy Tales, The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde, The Fairy Tales of Frank Stockton, and Arabian Nights.

Sam Pickering teaches English at the University of Connecticut. He has written more than two dozen books, including Waltzing the Magpies, an account of a year he and his family spent in Western Australia, and Dreamtime.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781420953008
ISBN 10	1420953001
Title	Aesop's Fables (Illustrated by Arthur Rackham with an Introduction by G. K. Chesterton)
Author	Aesop
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Digireads.com
Year published	2016-05-19
Number of pages	144
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.