Imagination Celebration of Fort Worth

Aesop’s Fables
Study Guide

Recommended for grades 1 to 4
Aesop’s delightful fables of wit and wisdom come to life as nationally acclaimed puppeteer and storyteller Jim West transforms paper bags, newspaper and cardboard boxes into Aesop’s beloved cast of characters.

Hosted by Aesop himself, in life-size puppet form, with his faithful dog Moral by his side and accompanied by the music of Scarlatti, Beethoven, Rossini and Chopin, the insights of the simple stories shine through. Familiar favorites “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Fox and the Grapes,” “The Wind and the Sun,” “The Lion and the Mouse” and more are retold using large, colorful puppets sure to inspire the child in all of us.

Aesop History, Reading,

Aesop was born a Greek slave circa 620 B.C. (Some historians say he may have been born in Egypt or Turkey.) Because of his talent as a storyteller, he was one of King Croesus’ favorite entertainers (King Croesus was King of Lydia, an ancient kingdom in West Asia Minor). Aesop felt that people laugh and learn watching animals make the same mistakes we make ourselves. He was able to win favor with King Croesus enough that he was freed and able to live his life in Greece. He is believed to have died in 565 B.C.

Aesop used animals who talk and who act like humans to tell his stories called fables. Fables are tales that teach a moral, offer advice or give us hints into how to be better people.* Rather than pointedly telling people they acted funny, were misbehaving or were acting too proudly, Aesop would have the animals do the acting and talking for him. As people don’t like to be corrected or made to seem foolish, Aesop was able to get his ideas across without hurting anyone’s feelings or making them feel awkward.

Aesop is considered by many to be the “Father of the Fable.” His fables have been told for hundreds of years and translated in numerous languages. The first written record of the fables dates from 300 A.D. Aesop himself never wrote his stories down. The first English publication came in 1484 and in 1593 the fables were published in Japanese. People all over the world have known and loved Aesop and his fables for a long time.

*fable worksheet for students at the end of this guide

Activity History, Reading, Oral Language – Provided by Jim West

Learn about the life and times of Aesop and his contemporaries. Who are these other people? Do you recognize any of their names? Discuss any that the students recognize or that are pertinent to the content you are studying.

The Fox and the Grapes

One hot summer’s day a Fox was strolling through an orchard until he came to a bunch of grapes just ripening on a vine which had been trained over a lofty branch. “Just the thing to quench my thirst,” quothe he.
Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and a jump, and just missed the bunch. Turning around again with a one, two, three, he jumped up, but with no greater success.
Again and again he tried after the tempting morsel, but at last had to give up, and walked away with his nose in the air, saying, “I am sure they are sour.”
It is easy to despise what you cannot get. and Only a fool laughs at something he can’t have.

Activities Reading, Vocabulary, Health Education, Listening, Oral Language, Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Synthesis

1. Put the above fable on an overhead transparency and show it to the class. What are other words or phrases we could have selected for strolling, orchard, trained over, lofty, quothe, morsel and despise? Make a word wall for this story.
2. Ask the students if they know anyone who had ever said, “I didn’t want to play anyway” or said something negative like that when he or she didn’t get his/her way? What did the person really mean?
3. The word “despise” is a pretty strong word. Do we ever really DESPISE something? Would we say we hate someone or something and mean it? What other ways can we say we don’t like something? How do the phrases “we’d prefer not to…” or “thank you, but no thank you” seem a better way to speak to someone?

The Frogs and the Well

Two frogs lived together in a marsh. But one hot summer the marsh dried up and they left it to look for another place to live: for frogs like damp places if they can get them. By and by they came to a deep well, and one of them looked down into it and said to the other, “This looks like a nice cool place. Let us jump in and settle here.”
But the other, who had a wiser head on his shoulders, replied, “Not so fast, my friend. Supposing this well dried up like the marsh, how should we get out again?
Look before you leap.

1. Ask the students to define a well. How deep is a well? How else do we use the word “well” (adverb – We feel well.)
2. Why is it cool in the well?
3. Have you ever stopped someone, or has someone ever stopped you from doing something that may have been dangerous or not a good choice at the time? Discuss. Share.

The Lion and the Mouse

Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down upon him; this soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him and opened his big jaws to swallow him.
“Pardon, O King,” cried the little Mouse, “forgive me this time, I shall never forget it. Who knows but what I may be able to do you a turn one of these days?” The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go.
Some time after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by and, seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was in, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts.
“Was I not right?” said the little Mouse. Little friends may prove great friends. and Don’t make fun of little things.

1. In the second paragraph the Mouse says, “Pardon, O King… turn some of these days.” Put this on an overhead transparency or write it on the board for all of the students to see. Ask them to reword what the Mouse said using words that make it easier to understand. In modern times, how would the Mouse address the King (think vernacular or slang terminology)? Have the students share. Talk about voice register and appropriateness in talking to people.
2. Why do you think lions are called the “King of Beasts”? Have you ever seen the lions at the zoo? Describe what you see. How do they appear when they are looking at you looking at them? Do they seem to be like kings? What do kings do and say? How do kings walk? Show us!
3. Aesop has his own moral for this story. What are other morals this story could teach us? Brainstorm and share.

The Stag and the Pool

A stag overpowered by heat came to a spring to drink. Seeing his own shadow reflected in the water, he greatly admired the size and variety of his horns, but felt angry with himself for having such slender and weak feet. While he was thus contemplating himself, a Lion appeared at the pool and crouched to spring upon him. The Stag immediately took to flight and, exerting his utmost speed, as long as the plain was smooth and open, kept himself easily at a safe distance from the Lion. But entering a wood he became entangled by his horns, and the Lion quickly came up to him and caught him.
When too late, he thus reproached himself, “Woe is me! How I have deceived myself! These feet which would have saved me I despised, and I gloried in these antlers which have proved my destruction.”
What is most truly valuable is often underrated. and Things are the way they are for a reason.

1. Restate, in your own words, what the Stag said. Use your words. (We wouldn’t say “woe is me” too often.)
2. Why didn’t the lion let him go? In the story about the Mouse and the Lion, we learned that “little friends may prove great friends.” We saw the Lion let the Mouse go free. Why didn’t the Lion let the Stag get away safely?
3. Do you ever dislike something about yourself? (e.g., some people dislike their freckles or if they have red hair or are too short or too tall, etc.) Doesn’t each little part of who we are make up who we are and make each and everyone of us special? What can you say to someone who feels uncomfortable about something that is part of who he or she is?

The Wind and the Sun

The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveler coming down the road, and the Sun said, “I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveler to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger. You begin.”
So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveler. But the harder he blew, the more closely did the traveler wrap his cloak around him till at last the Wind had to give up in despair. Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveler, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.
Kindness affects more than severity. and It’s much stronger to be gentle and kind than to be a loud and forceful bully.

1. What does “Kindness effects more than severity” mean? Rephrase this sentence into your own words.
2. What could the wind have done to have the traveler take off his cloak?
3. Do you think people who are nice to others are treated with kindness in return? What do you do if you are very nice to someone and he or she is still mean to you in return? What should you do?

The Hare and the Tortoise

A Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing, “Though you may be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race.” The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal.
On the day appointed for the race, the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow and steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had already reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her win.
Slow but steady wins the race. and Slow and steady is sure to win.

1. How would you describe the Hare? What characteristics does he have?
2. How would you describe the Tortoise? What are her characteristics?
3. Did the Tortoise really need to challenge the Hare? Why did she do that? What was the purpose?
4. What is the difference between a tortoise and a turtle? A tortoise lives only on land; a turtle can be aquatic and/or on land. In New Mexico we have the desert tortoise.

For all fables, have students predict the outcome. Have them explain their reasoning.
Have the students express the moral from the tale in their own words.
Brainstorm with your students when the situations presented in the performance may occur in their lives.

Explorations of Language Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Oral Language, Theatre, Health Education

1. Rewrite one of Aesop’s fables using scenes from your everyday life. How would his morals be illustrated in today’s world? Where would the event take place? Have the students dramatize and role-play their versions of the fables for the class. Discuss student’s experiences with each moral theme.

Definitions Vocabulary – Provided by Jim West

fable
1. fabrication, fiction, fable (a deliberately false or improbable account)
2. fable, parable, allegory, apoloque (a short moral story often with animal characters)
3. legend (a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events) When one reads a fable, one reads it on two levels: the concrete, which is the story, and the abstract, which is the moral or lesson to be learned. (www.yale.edu…)

folktale
a symbolic way of representing life using people or animals who speak and act like people “The Ugly Duckling” is an example of a folktale. It is the conquest of good or evil. “Rumpelstiltskin” and “The Frog Prince” are also folktales with issues about truth and keeping your word.

legend
a story associated with a particular person or place

moral
lesson (the significance of a story or event)

For further discussion and lessons on these topics:

www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1984/4/84.04.04.x.html “Once Upon a Time” by Diana Doyle
www.edsitement.neh.gov “Fables and Trickster Tales Around the World”
ww2.mcdaniel.edu/graduate/TI/pages/DBA/lore.htm “Folklore, Legend and Myth from Around the World

Other Recommended Fables Provided by Jim West

“The Ant and the Grasshopper” It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.
“The Dove and the Ant” Little Friends may prove great friends.
“The Jay and the Peacock” It is not only fine feathers that make fine birds.
“The Wolf and the Kid” It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.

History and Use of the Fable Social Studies, Reading

Some of Aesop’s tales can be traced back to India, another country noted for their use of the fable to teach morals. In India, many people believe that they may be reborn as animals, so animals are a natural choice to write about. The most noted work of collected fables from India is the Panchatantra.
One of the most famous writers who retold and rewrote fables in verse was Jean de La Fontaine, who was a French poet of the 1600s. He used the fables to not only express morals, but to comment on society.
Other famous writers who revised and adapted fables include Ivfan Krylov of Russia, James Joyce of Ireland, and American James Thurber.

http://www.my.execpc.com

Fables from India “The Elephants’ Ears”

“Palo and Mala are brother and sister elephants with the same round, cozy shapes, but Palo has petite ears and Mala wide ones. As the two elephants grow, their mother notices other differences. Palo likes to sit quietly; Mala runs. Palo sleeps peacefully; Mala is restless. Mala rolls in the mud; Palo gathers food. When it’s time to make their own ways in the world, Mother Elephant worries. She enlists the help of an eagle who finds two perfect pieces of land, one in the shape of Palo’s ear and another in the shape off Mala’s. The elephants find happiness: Palo, in India, carrying small children and clearing paths; Mala, in Africa, finding food and protecting her calves.
“ Siblings have their own personalities.”
This is not only a fable, but it tells us about the differences in the African and Indian elephants.

Selected Fables by Jean de la Fontaine,

Dover Publications, Copyright 1968, ISBN 0-486-21878-3.

This is a book of satirical poetry with the moral lessons of fables. These are selected more for the older students or adults, but it is yet another way of approaching fables.
Example, from page 29:

“The Hen That Laid the Golden Eggs”

“No better fable was ever written
For those whom the money bug has bitten
Than that of the man whose hen could lay
A golden egg for him every day.

He cut her open from stem to stem
To get the goldmine, only to learn
That his hen inside was like every hen
And he, more the fool, was poor again. Many a duffer these days will euchre
Himself right out of a pot of lucre
By caring too much about the stuff,
So always remember, enough’s enough.”

New Mexico Connection

Native Americans provide moral lessons to their children through the telling of legends and myths, which oftentimes align closely with fables. In the Seneca story “The Turtle Races the Beaver,” the beaver imposes on the turtle’s pond and selfishly destroys it. At the end, the turtle outsmarts the beaver (brains over brawn) to win back his home. The Apache story “The Boy and the Rattlesnake” teaches us to face reality rather than trusting in words. Most stories, however, are more telling of how and why things are the way they are. (Native American Animal Stories Told by Joseph Bruchac, Fulcrum Publishing, 1992, ISBN 1-55591-127-7)
Kachinas are another way that moral lessons are taught to children. The Cochiti people tell of the River Men who emerge from the Rio Grande carrying sacks to take away children who have been misbehaving or are disrespectful to their elders. The Hopi have Nataska and the Zuni, Atoshle. It is through the stories of these kachinas that the adults encourage proper behaviors from the children.

Explore the Music Music, Theatre, Vocabulary – Provided by Jim West

Before the Show
1. The harpsichord was the forerunner of the piano. When its key is struck, a little quill plucks the string. No matter how hard you hit the keyboard, the sound is always the same.
In the “Tortoise and the Hare,” a piano will be heard playing a short Scarlatti Sonata followed by a harpsichord playing the same piece. Suggest to the children beforehand that they listen for the difference in the sound between the two.
2. Get a recording of Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony. Play the third movement (Scherzo) when the children come to class in the morning. Repeat this for at least three days prior to the show. Do not make any fuss as to it being “great” Beethoven. Just let it be there. If questioned by the children, simply suggest, “It’s a nice way to start the day.” Doing this exercise will enable the children to recognize the music when they hear it in the show.

After the Show Music, Theatre, Vocabulary, Application, Evaluation – Provided by Jim West

Review the fables in the show and discuss the various ramifications of the morals.

“The Tortoise and the Hare” (performed with a paper bag and cardboard cut-outs)
Music: Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) Sonata in C
Moral: Slow and steady is sure to win.

“The Stag at the Pool” (paper bags and cardboard box)
Music: Ludwig von Beethoven (1770-1827) Symphony No. 3 The Erocia, Third Movement: Scherzo
Moral: What is most truly valuable is often underrated. and Things are the way they are for a reason.

“The Fox and the Grapes” (hand shadows)
Moral: It is easy to despise what you cannot get. and Only a fool laughs at something he can’t have.

“The Frogs and the Well” (hand shadows)
Moral: Look before you leap.

“The Wind and the Sun”
Music: Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) Waltz in C# Minor, Etude in A 6 Major (Aeolian Harp) Etude in A Minor (Winter Winds)
Moral: Kindness effects more than severity. and It’s much stronger to be gentle and kind than to be a loud and forceful bully.

“The Lion and the Mouse” (newspaper puppets)
Moral: Little friends may prove great friends. and Don’t make fun of little things.

“The Cat and Her Tail” (re-named “Warble Twinky” by Jim West)
Music: Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) Overture to Cinderella (the last of the third piece)
Moral: Go forward. Don’t look for happiness behind you.

Resource Music, Reading, Application

M is for Melody – A Music Alphabet by Wargin, Kathy-jo, Illustrated by Katherine Larson, Sleeping Bear Press, 2004, ISBN 1-58536-215-8.
Music information is provided in poetry. ex:

“Now J is for Jazz –
it’s a cool music style.
It’s a blend of our cultures
and it makes you smile.

There’s Dixie and blues.
There’s big band and swing.
Jazz started it all
and that’s why it’s king.”

The poetry and art on the page are followed by short paragraphs to further the reader’s understanding of the subject.

The Art of Puppetry Art, Theatre, Social Studies – Provided by the Kennedy Center’s Cuesheets

People have been making puppets for at least 4,000 years. Early puppets can be traced to China, India and other Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Puppets have been found in the tombs of ancient Egypt and in the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome.

Additional Resources:
Buetter, Barbara MacDonald. Simple Puppets from Everyday Materials. New York: Sterling Publications, 1996.
www.cin.org/themes/puppetry.html
www.stagecraft.com/puppetry
www.itdc.sbcss.k12.us/curriculum.puppetry.html
www.goldenrodpuppets.com
www.legendsandlore.com/puppet-resource.html
www.aaronshep.com (Reader’s Theatre and Children’s Plays, also)

Telling Stories Without Words Theatre, Art, Comprehension, Kinesthetics – Provided by the Kennedy Center’s Cuesheets

Before the performance, explain to students that puppets, like dolls, cannot change their facial expressions and often communicate primarily through naturalistic animal movements.
Invite students to communicate without words or facial expressions. Have them choose an animal, such as a cat, bird or snake, and behave like that animal. Discuss ways in which students communicated using only actions and gestures.
After the performance, ask students to recall a puppet from this show. Ask them to imitate the puppet, communicating the animal’s traits without words.

Reproducible Page – Provided by Educational Oasis, Issue 63, 1998 Copyright Good Apple – page 10

The Lesson of the Fable
Fables are short, fictional stories that teach lessons. The lessons concern the value of virtuous behavior and the consequences in behaving in a less than virtuous way.
Match the lesson or proverb in Column A with the virtue in Column B by writing the letter on the line provided. The proverbs and virtues are divided into two groups of ten. Use a dictionary to look up unfamiliar words.

Column A		Column B
___ 1. Courage is proven by deed, not by words alone.		A. neighborliness
___ 2. It is wise to stop at a sign of danger.		B. independence
___ 3. The fruits of hard work are the best treasure of all.		C. cooperation
___ 4. The gods help those who help themselves.		D. cautiousness
___ 5. Be happy with what you’ve got.		E. bravery
___ 6. Treat others as you like to be treated.		F. generosity
___ 7. Slow and steady wins the race.		G. industriousness
___ 8. A child’s conduct reflects the way of his parents.		H. perseverance
___ 9. Selfish brings its own punishment.		I. deportment
___ 10. Unity brings strength; division brings only weakness.		J. contentment
___ 11. True friends stay together through thick and thin.		K. helpfulness
___ 12. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.		L. thriftiness
___ 13. Honesty is the best policy.		M. perseverance
___ 14. Don’t try to be something you’re not.		N. wisdom
___ 15. A penny saved is a penny earned.		O. loyalty
___ 16. Never bite the hand that feeds you.		P. modesty
___ 17. One good deed often follows another.		Q. sincerity
___ 18. A stitch in time saves nine.		R. gratitude
___ 19. It is wise to learn from your mistakes.		S. prevention
___ 20. Vanity is the mark of a fool.		T. honesty