Aesop

Aesop does not appear in very many fables. When he does appear, it is a sure sign that he did not write the fable. Aesop is the master wit. The very few fables listing him as a character portray a man with a quick wit who refuses to be insulted by anyone of lower intelligence.

Very little is known about the historical Aesop. He was a Greek slave, according to the editors, and was captured during a war. He worked as a clerk or personal secretary to his owners and possessed a quick wit and a knack for telling animal stories. He made a name for himself telling these stories, and many animal stories have been credited to him even though he was most likely not the author. He lived in the early sixth century BC. Many scholars believe he was taken to Egypt, which would explain the...