Tommy Mann

One of Aesop's Fables is titled The Frog and the Fox, or the Toad and the Fox in some editions. The short story is about a frog that declares he has the ability to heal any ailments within the animal kingdom. Upon hearing this audacious claim, the fox replies, "If you can heal any ailment, why do you look like that?" The fox pointed out the sickly complexion of the amphibian, and the fact that his mobility was limited to merely hopping.  Aesop wrote his fables around 620-564 BC, so they were in circulation and popular in the days that Jesus walked the earth. It is believed that the fox's clever insult to the frog gave birth to the Jewish proverb, "Physician, heal yourself." Jesus quoted those words in Luke 4:24, saying to the congregants in the synagogue, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, 'Physician, heal yourself.' What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well." The proverb is one of skepticism, as i...

The North Wind and the Sun T HE  W IND  and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveller coming down the road, and the Sun said: “I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveller 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 traveller. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveller wrap his cloak round him, till at last the Wind had to give up in despair.  Then the Sun came out. At first he beamed gently upon the traveller, who soon unclasped his cloak and walked on with it hanging loosely about his shoulders. He then shone forth with his full strength, and shone in all his glory upon the traveller, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on, and was glad to throw his cloak right off and complete his journey more lightly clad. The moral of this story, according to ...

Aesop is believed to have been a Greek slave who lived around 620-560 BC. A gifted storyteller, Aesop wrote a collection of fables that have been translated and preserved for centuries. Today children read his stories, and adults use his analogies. We tell stories about the tortoise and the hare, and we refer to a golden goose or a wolf in sheep’s clothing because of the fables of Aesop. I don’t believe Aesop was what we consider Christian (he lived before the term Christian was coined) because he referred to Greek gods such as Mercury and Jupiter in his fables. So without trying to deify Aesop, I believe we can learn valuable Christian lessons from his fables. This series is called Aesop’s Faithfuls—I will post fables as they are, then give a quick truth that we can apply today. Whether you are six or 86, I hope you enjoy this series reading or re-reading some classic literature.