First Edition. Sir Roger L’Estrange’s version of the “Fables of Aesop” was printed in 1692. It is a collection of fables attributed to Aesop, who is believed to be a Greek slave and storyteller that lived between 620 and 564 BC. Originally passed down through oral traditions, Aesop’s fables were collected and written down approximately three centuries after his death. Upon the advent of the printing press, Aesop’s fables were among the earliest books printed in a variety of languages and thus spread throughout the world.

The fables have been used as ethical guides for adults and children in particular. Some of Aesop’s most famous fables include: “The Fox and the Grapes,” “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The North Wind and the Sun,” “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” and “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” Also included are the Fables of Barlandus, Anianus, Abstemius, and Poggius.