Fables

After the Bible, perhaps the oldest text to be shared by adults with their children is that of Aesop's Fables. Most sources describe Aesop as a former Greek slave living in the 6th century BC (Herodotus). The fables attributed to Aesop were passed down through oral tradition. Perhaps Socrates did spend his time in jail turning them into verse (Plato). They were translated from the Greek to Latin by Phaedrus. We do know that there is a drawing of Aesop in the Nuremberg Chronicle and that William Caxton, the first English printer, produced a copy of Aesop's Fables in the 15th century. The use of personified animals and the separate moral at the end of each tale are very familiar to children of every generation as the tales continue to appear in new versions today.

The Baby's Own Aesop

THE BABY'S OWN AESOP. By Walter Crane. London: George Routledge, 1871.
Wood engravings, color printed. Walter Crane did the illustrations. The engraving and printing was done by Edmund Evans. Walter Crane began at age 14 as an apprentice to W.J. Linton to learn how to draw on wood. His association with Evans began in 1863 and their first collaboration, a toybook, was published in 1865 by Ward, Lock, and Tyler. Then in 1877, George Routledge and Sons published three books in a new format: THE BABY'S OPERA, THE BABY'S BOUQUET and this AESOP title. A new standard of excellence had been established for printing children's books.

The usual method of producing these books was as follows: the artist submitted his drawings to Evans, it would be photographed onto the wood block and Evans would engrave the keyblock. He would make as many impressions of the keyblock as the artist needed colors. The colored drawings were then returned to Evans and he would carve a block for each color. It was Crane's belief that "Children, like the ancient Egyptians, appear to see most things in profile, and like definite statement in design. They prefer well defined forms and bright frank color. They don't want to bother about three dimensions. They can accept symbolic representations...." Exhibit checklist 3.1 (View this item)

Aesop's Fables In Words of One Syllable

AESOP'S FABLES IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. By Mary Godolphin. New York & London: George Routledge & Sons, [ca. 1887].
Relief illustrations, uncolored. Exhibit checklist 3.2 (View this item)

Ęsopi Phrygis Et Aliorum Fabulae Quorum Nomina Sequens Pagella Indicabit

ÆSOPI PHRYGIS ET ALIORUM FABULAE QUORUM NOMINA SEQUENS PAGELLA INDICABIT / PLURIBUSQUE AUCTAE & DILIGENTIUS QUAM ANTEHAC EMENDATAE [A MAXIMO PLANUDE]. Florentiae: Typis Regiae Celsitudinis, 1718.
Woodcut illustrations, uncolored. In Latin. Original limp vellum binding. Exhibit checklist 3.3 (View this item)

Peter Parley's Book of Fables

PETER PARLEY'S BOOK OF FABLES. By Samuel Griswold Goodrich. Hartford: White, Dwier & Co., 1834.
Wood engravings, hand colored. Exhibit checklist 3.4 (View this item)

Aesop's Fables

AESOP'S FABLES. New York: Samuel Wood & Sons; Baltimore: Samuel S. Wood & Co., 1818.
Chapbook with wood engraved illustrations by Alexander Anderson, uncolored. Exhibit checklist 3.8 (View this item)

Bewick's Select Fables of Aesop and Others

BEWICK'S SELECT FABLES OF AESOP AND OTHERS. London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1878.
Wood engraved illustrations, uncolored. In part II of this text, the illustration accompanies the fable along with the morals and a reflection on the fable. Exhibit checklist 3.10 (View this item)

The Aesop For Children With Pictures By Milo Winter

THE AESOP FOR CHILDREN WITH PICTURES BY MILO WINTER. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co., 1919.
Lithographic illustrations, color printed. Single leaf from a damaged book. This showing the Fable of the Tortoise and the Hare. Exhibit checklist 3.11 (View this item)