A fable is a very short story that usually teaches a moral or lesson about life. Some of the most well-known fables were written by Aesop. Who was Aesop and how can fables improve your English? We’ve got 5 of Aeasop’s most popular fables for you to listen to in this episode.

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Who was Aesop?
Aesop was a storyteller from ancient Greece, believed to have lived around the 6th century BCE (approximately 620–564 BCE). He is most famous for writing short moral stories called fables, which feature animals that talk and behave like humans.
Even though Aesop lived over 2,500 years ago, his stories are still told today all over the world. Their lessons are simple, universal, and timeless.

The Tortoise and the Hare
The hare was proud of how fast he could run. One day, he laughed at the slow-moving tortoise and said, “You’ll never win a race against me.”
“Let’s try,” said the tortoise calmly.
They began the race. The hare quickly ran far ahead. Feeling confident, he stopped to rest and soon fell asleep.
The tortoise kept goin g, slowly but steadily. By the time the hare woke up, the tortoise was almost at the finish line. The hare ran as fast as he could, but it was too late. The tortoise had already won.
Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.

The Fox and the Grapes
A hungry fox saw a bunch of juicy grapes hanging from a high vine. He tried to jump and reach them, but he couldn’t.
He jumped again and again, but the grapes were too high.
Tired and annoyed, the fox walked away, saying, “Those grapes are probably sour anyway.”
Moral: It’s easy to dislike what you cannot have.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf
A young shepherd boy got bored while watching his sheep. To have some fun, he shouted, “Wolf! Wolf! A wolf is attacking the sheep!”
The villagers ran to help, but there was no wolf. The boy laughed.
He did this again the next day. The villagers ran up again—and again, there was no wolf.
On the third day, a real wolf came. The boy shouted, “Wolf! Wolf!” but this time, no one came. The wolf attacked the sheep, and the boy learned a hard lesson.
Moral: If you lie, people won’t believe you even when you tell the truth.

The Lion and the Mouse
A lion was sleeping when a small mouse ran over his paw. The lion caught the mouse and was about to eat him.
“Please let me go,” begged the mouse. “One day, I might help you.”
The lion laughed but let the mouse go.
Later, the lion was caught in a hunter’s net. He roared for help. The mouse heard him, ran to the net, and chewed through the ropes until the lion was free.
Moral: Even the smallest friend can be a great help.

The Ant and the Grasshopper
All summer, the ants worked hard collecting food for winter. The grasshopper spent his time singing and enjoying the sun.
“You should prepare for winter,” the ants warned him. But the grasshopper laughed and said, “There’s still plenty of time.”
When winter came, the ants were warm and had food. The grasshopper was cold and hungry.
He went to the ants for help, but they said, “You played all summer while we worked.”
Moral: Prepare today for the needs of tomorrow.

…and now it’s your turn to practise your English.
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In next week’s episode: Famous Quotations about Happiness

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