Complete Aesop's Fables II (English-Chinese Parallel Edition with Illustrations)

Author: (Ancient Greek) Aesop
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-01-01
Features: The Aesop Fables have been passed down for over two thousand years, with numerous versions available. Commonly selected collections typically include around three hundred stories. The China Foreign Languages Publishing House compiled this edition based on the collection by Reverend George F. Townsend (1814-1900), which contains the most stories currently known, numbering four hundred and five. Some titles may be the same, with content largely similar, but they originate from different versions, and the lessons they convey vary. They are included in this book to ensure completeness, and comparing them can also be quite interesting. Historically, Aesop may have been a real person, but the Aesop Fables were not necessarily all his works. They are actually action stories from his time or from before and after, carrying profound meanings, falsely attributed to his name and passed down to this day. The world regards them 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 the readers' reference. Looking at Aesop Fable collections both domestically and internationally, many have been repeatedly adapted, some to the point of being unrecognizable, transforming into children's stories. This book strives to preserve the raw and refined style of the Aesop Fables, whether in language or illustrations, aiming for authenticity. This is also the purpose behind publishing this bilingual edition.