Complete Aesop's Fables (2)

Author: (Ancient Greece) Aesop, translated by Li Changshan, Chen Yiyian, Sun Zheng
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The Aesop Fables have been passed down for over two thousand years, with numerous versions available. Commonly published selections typically include around 300 fables. The China Foreign Languages Publishing House compiled this edition based on the collection by Reverend George F. Townsend (1814-1900), which contains the most fables currently known, numbering 405. Some fables share the same title and similar content but originate from different versions, carrying distinct moral lessons. They are included in this book to ensure comprehensiveness, and comparing them can also be quite interesting. Historically, Aesop may or may not have truly existed, but the Aesop Fables were not necessarily his own works. Rather, they are action stories from his time or those that followed, bearing profound lessons, attributed to his name and passed down to this day. They are regarded as classics, offering great insights. For details on their dissemination, please refer to the preface of Reverend Townsend's collection (which is also the preface of this book). Additionally, it includes Reverend Townsend's account of Aesop's life, for readers' reference. Most Aesop Fable selections published domestically and internationally have been revised multiple times, some even losing their original form and evolving into children's stories. This book strives to preserve the raw and polished style of the Aesop Fables, whether in language or illustrations, aiming for authenticity. This is also the purpose behind publishing this bilingual edition.