Aesop is said to have been a storyteller in ancient Greece about 2,500 years ago. Whether or not he was a single real person, the short animal tales told under his name have been retold in almost every language, and each one ends with a lesson, or moral.
Our tellings come from The Æsop for Children, a 1919 collection illustrated by Milo Winter. Each fable takes only a minute or two to read, which makes it just right for bedtime or a quick conversation about kindness, honesty and hard work. Each fable below has its own page with the full text and a read-aloud.
New to Aesop? Start with The Tortoise and the Hare or The Lion and the Mouse. After each one, ask, “What do you think the lesson is?”
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The Fables
Tap a title to read the full text and watch its read-aloud.
- The Ants and the GrasshopperThe Grasshopper plays all summer while the Ants store grain.
- The Boy Who Cried WolfA bored shepherd boy shouts “Wolf!” once too often.
- The Crow and the PitcherA thirsty crow solves a problem one pebble at a time.
- The Dove and the AntA Dove saves an Ant, and the Ant returns the favor.
- The Lion and the MouseEven the smallest friend can be a great help.
- The North Wind and the SunWho can make a traveler take off his cloak?
- The Owl and the GrasshopperA sleepy Owl uses flattery to silence a noisy Grasshopper.
- The Tortoise and the HareA boastful Hare naps, and a steady Tortoise wins.
- The Town Mouse and the Country MousePlain food in peace, or a feast with cats and dogs?