5. Fables

Fables are short stories in which animals or inanimate objects are represented as speaking or acting with human interests or passions. They were among the earliest stories told by all races. Many of the commonest fables, earliest told to children to-day, such as the “Dog in the Manger” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” originated in Asia. Æsop’s “Fables” was the first moral lesson book for children. They are now an integral part of our literature and language. For this reason, as well as others, children should become familiar with them. They please the child’s fancy, satisfy his craving for short, objective, ethical tales, and impress such virtues as prudence, honesty, contentment, generosity, and wisdom. Fables that teach revenge or success by lying and craft should be rejected.

Some good collections are: Æsop; La Fontaine; “Fables and Folk Stories,” H. E. Scudder; “Fairy Stories and Fables,” Baldwin.