Good Reasons to Teach Children ‘Aesop’s Fables’
Aesop’s Fables are a collection of ancient stories, each with a moral tale to tell. It would be wonderful if ‘they came back into fashion’. Many of the stories features creatures from the natural world, to both educate and inspire.
Wildlife TV presenter Hamza Yassin recently said he would love it, if children were able to name five trees, rather than five Kardashians.
Lessons from the Tortoise and the Hare Fable
The Tortoise and the Hare was one of Aesop’s fables, a story with a moral compass. In this case, that you often get further, when you slow down. It’s a lesson that many of us could learn, in today’s fast-moving society.
A swift hare brags about his speed to other animals. But the slow tortoise challenges the hare to a race. Although the hare easily pulls ahead to victory, he decides to stop and take a nap. While the slow and steady tortoise makes it to the finish line first.
You may deride my awkward pace. But slow and steady wins the race. Tortoise
This fable is known worldwide, with different versions. In Native American culture, it’s a hummingbird and crane, that agree to race from ocean to another. Against, the tiny fast hummingbird stops at night to sleep, while the crane flies overnight and comes in first.
Other fables that you may be familiar with include:
- Mercury and the Woodman (honesty is the best policy)
- Milkmaid and her Pail (don’t count your chickens, before they are hatched)
- The Ant and the Grasshopper (be prepared for the days of necessity)
- The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (appearances can be deceptive)
- Father and His Daughters (you can’t please everyone)
More Lessons We Can Learn From Wildlife
- Chameleons (flexibility). These creatures change colour to blend into their surroundings, not just for camouflage but also for communication and temperature regulation.
- Salmon (tenacity). They swim upstream against daunting currents to spawn, embarking on an incredible journey. They face predators (bears!) and waterfalls to fast-flowing streams. Yet driven by instinct, they reach their destination.
- Elephants (family). They support their close-knit herds through thick and thin. Calves are cared for by the entire herd, and seniors are respected for their wisdom. They mourn their dead, and revisit resting places of deceased herd members.
- Crows (creativity). They make tools and use sticks to reach food. There is a video of a crow, who wants to crack a nut. So he drops it into a busy road, waits for a car to run over it, then flies down to collect his dinner!
- Arctic Tern (stamina). Each year, this tiny bird travels from the Arctic to Antarctica, a journey of around 70,000km. This bird reminds us that with determination, even the longest journeys can be completed.
- Honey badgers (tenacity). Whether it’s breaking into beehives or facing snakes, the honey badger shows that being bold and persistent, is often the best way to confront obstacles. We can learn to face challenges, with the same attitude.
