Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Kernel's Library: A Time to Learn from the Animals Within Us

Book 00033: Aesop's Fables Translated by V. S. Vernon Jones
Title:
- Aesop's Fables

First Publication:
- Ancient Times


Trivia:
- Aesop was by tradition a slave who was a contemporary of Croesus and Peisistratus in the mid-sixth century BC in ancient Greece. It was believed that his master was Xanthus, who resided on the island of Samos.
- According to the historian Herodotus, Aesop met with a violent death at the hands of the inhabitants of Delphi, though the cause was not stated.


Awards:
- User Choice Award at Free Download Manager



Of all the fables and stories that sprouted the entire history none could surpass the greatness and fame achieved by Aesop's fables. Millions have known these stories by heart and most of them could easily tell you the story without even referring to a written media. These stories were traditionally passed from one generation to the next by simply the oral means. And I was quite wondering how the ancient people memorized most of the stories -- especially Aesop.

Who would ever forget the story of the shepherd who mischievously alerted comrades of wolves when there are actually none that endangers their sheep. Or who would ever not know of the fates of the ant and the grasshopper, when the former is laborious and thrifty while the latter is simply lazy.

One of my greatly loved stories is this (although it doesn't concern any animal in its story):



The Astronomer

"AN ASTRONOMER used to go out at night to observe the stars. One evening, as he wandered through the suburbs with his whole attention fixed on the sky, he fell accidentally into a deep well. While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning what had happened said: "Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on earth?'"

After reading the stories you would certainty not run away without knowledge, values, and morality. There is so much material that could be gained from the stories that the possibility is quite infinite. It is quite entertaining how the stories would personify the traits and behaviour of humanity that almost all of the time befits our description...

Grade: A

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