Aesop's Fables For Sale

{last updated July 20, 2010}

STILLMAN BOOKS

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HISTORY


The black slave, Aesop, supposedly lived around 600 B.C. in Greece.
No one can be sure he actually existed, his life itself may
have been a Fable. As the story goes, Aesop had an extraordinary
mind but also a knack for getting into trouble. To appease
his Master, Aesop made up stories to amuse him, tales that had
to do mainly with the birds and beasts of the field and forest.
These tales had an application to human follies and frailities.
Aesop's tales, or fables, were passed on by word-of-mouth and no one
attempted to record them until about 300 B.C., when a man named
Demetrius Phalerius, a notable Athenian statesman, wrote down
200 fables in Greek prose entitled "Assemblies of Aesopic Tales".
In the first century A.D., Phaedrus, a Greek slave freed by the
Emperor Augustus, turned the Greek fables of Phalerius into Latin
iambics. He was followed by Valerius Babrius, tutor to the son of
Alexander Severus about 200 A.D., who collected between 200 and
300 of the Aesopic and Libyan fables and wrote them down in
Greek choliambic verse (Latin meters). 
     Toward the end of the fourth century A.D., Avianus, a young Roman
poet translated 42 of the fables into Latin. Whereas the fables of
Babrius were short and serious, carefully structured and ending with
some kind of didactic moral, the fables of Avianus are more playful
and he tried to incorporate the moral as part of an ironic plot.
And, like Aesop, Avianus shows a clear preference in his fables for
learning how to survive and for the underdog. 
     In the ninth century, another version of the fables was made by
Ignatius Diaconus, and a number of Oriental tales were added to the 
collection. In the 14th century, Maximus Planudes assembled a
collection of fables based on those of Babrius, Diaconus and some
stories from Oriental sources. This collection was published in 1480
and is the basis for the Aesop's Fables that we are familiar with today.
The first English translation followed in 1484, printed by William Caxton.
Many other editions followed. Most editions furnish more amusement to
the child and wisdom to the man than any other book we can imagine.

On this page, you will always find a few interesting editions
of single Aesop fables and collections, as well as the occasional
contribution from other writers.

































l.  (Aesop) "The Tortoise and the Hare and Other Stories".
Retold for younger readers from Aesop's Fables. Early Reader
Series 43. Published by Hampster Books, London. n.d. (circa
1950). Sm. 4 to., 77 pp. 19 stories, each with one or two
b/w illus. Some of the other typical Aesop's fables included
are: "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"; "The Town Mouse and
the Country Mouse"; "The Fox and the Grapes"; "The Goose That
Laid the Golden Eggs"; and, "The Ant and the Grasshopper". 
Glossy pictorial boards with Red cloth spine. Illus. e.p.'s.
Minor edgewear; minor fading to top and bottom of spine; 
minor damage to f.e.p. where a price sticker was removed;
paper slightly discoloured; o/w still a VG clean copy in a
matching pictorial VG d.j. with minor chipping and rubbing.
                                         $24.50


































2.   (Bennett). Aesop's Fables and Others, Designed and
Drawn on Wood by Charles H. Bennett, with Additional
Fables Designed and Drawn by Randolph Caldecott. This
edition published by Bracken Books, Lon., 1986. 1st Ed.
Thus. 4 to., 64 pp. 23 colour plates and title-page 
reprinted from the original 19th century version by  
Charles Bennett, plus b/w drawings for 7 fables taken 
from the Randolph Caldecott version, also 19th century. 
Brown cloth. Moderate shelf-wear; minor discolouring
of rear e.p.'s; slight bowing of front board; o/w
a VG copy in VG pictorial d.j. with minor rubbing
and chipping.              $17.50

















3.   Galdone, Paul. The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. 
McGraw-Hill Book Co., N.Y., Lon., Tor., et al. Oblong 8 vo.,
unpaginated (32 pp.). n.d. (circa mid-1970's). The version used
in this book is based on the one found in "Select Fables of Esop
and other Fabulists", published by R. & J. Dodsley, Birmingham,
England, 1764. The country mouse, lured to town by the town mouse,
finds luxury and food in abundance. However, unfamiliar terrors
overtake him and the poor country mouse finds himself running for 
his life, home to the country. Richly embellished in full colour
by award-winning Paul Galdone. Pictorial cloth boards. Minor
edgewear; large gift inscription on f.e.p.; o/w VG in a G+
price-clipped, matching d.j.                    $20.00






































4.  (Hague) Aesop's Fables. Selected by Michael Hague. Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, N.Y. (l985) lst ed. 4 to., 27 pp.
Charming full-page colour illus. for each fable by author. 
Brown cloth. Slight edgewear, o/w Near Fine in Near
Fine d.j.                                  $ 22.50































5.  Hughes, Margaret. "Aesop's Fables" retold by Hughes
and copiously illustrated in colour by Sara Silcock.
Chartwell Books, Secaucus, New Jersey. 1979. 1st U.S. 
Edition. 4 to., 93 pp. A collection of 70 fables,
including some lesser-known ones like: "The Oak Tree
and the Reeds", "The Young Man and His Cat", "The Bat
and the Weasels", "The Donkey and the Statue", and
"The Crab and Her Mother". Red cloth. Fairly heavy
edgewear top and bottom; a slight musty odor; still
a clean VG copy in a G+ full pictorial d.j.  $18.50


 

6.  Jacobs, Joseph. "Best Loved Fables of Aesop". Avenel
Books, N.Y. n.d. (circa 1970). 12 mo., 63 pp. With 28
illustrations from engravings by John Tenniel and
Joseph Wolf. These 28 fables were adapted and published
by Jacobs in 1889. Among those included are: "Hercules
and the Waggoner", "The Dog and the Shadow", "The Lion
in Love", "The Fox and the Mask", "The Dog in the Manger",
"The Bat, The Birds and the Beasts", "The Horse, Hunter
and Stag", and "The Nurse and the Wolf". Black and Blue
type. Blue cloth with Gold lettering and an
embossed wading bird. Minor edgewear; o/w VG+ in VG
pictorial d.j. with some chipping and rubbing.  $9.50








             Aesop's Death
































7.  L'Estrange, Sir Roger. "The Life and Fables of Aesop", a
selection from the version of L'Estrange, edited and with an
Introduction by Simon Stern. Almost sq. 12 mo., 174 pp. Kahn &
Averill, Lon. 1970. Roger L'Estrange published two
volumes of fables in 1692, nearly 800 in all, with 200 of them
ascribed to Aesop. In this volume, 60 of Aesop's fables are
presented, along with L'Estrange's "Life of Aesop", based on
the earlier biography of Aesop by Camerarius. This is a lengthy
biography of over 40 pages. There is no way of knowing of much,
if any, of it is true, but it makes interesting reading. Adorning
this edition are over 50 b/w illus. taken from woodcuts first
published in an Italian edition of "Aesop" in 1485. Blue cloth
with Gold lettering and decoration. Minor wear and fading of edges;
minor wrinkle to f.e.p. and the top margin of a few pages; o/w a VG
clean copy in a price-clipped VG pictorial d.j. with some
rubbing and chipping.                             $22.50
  







































8.   Leaf, Munro. "Aesop's Fables: A New Version". Written by
Leaf and superbly illustrated by Robert Lawson. Leaf and
Lawson previously joined talents to create the memorable
story "Ferdinand the Bull". The original edition was published
in 1941. This edition was published by Easton Press in 1979 as
one of their series of titles "The 100 Greatest Books Ever
Written". 4 to., 130 pp. 101 fables in all. Includes a newly
commissioned portrait frontis of Aesop by Gillian Tyler.
Brown leather with Gold decoration, silk endpapers and ribbon
marker. A.e.g. Prev. owner's impressed stamp on bottom of
the title page; o/w a Near Fine copy of this
collector's edition.        $42.50








































9.   Lobel, Arnold. "Fables". Harper and Row, N.Y.(l980) lst ed.
4 to., 4l pp. Wonderful, humourous colour illus. by the
author. Blue cloth binding has only slight edgewear. VG+ in
dust-jacket that has three closed tears, some rubbing and
chipping.                                            $40.00
































10.  Paxton, Tom. "Androcles and the Lion and Other Aesop's
Fables", retold in verse by Paxton and wonderfully illustrated
in colour on every page by Robert Rayevsky. Morrow Junior
Books, N.Y. (1991). 1st Edition. 4 to., unpaginated (40 pp.).
Also included: "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"; "The Bald
Knight"; "The Tree and the Reed"; "The Donkey Carrying Salt";
"The Ant and the Dove"; "The King of the Barnyard"; and
3 others. Morrow Eagle Library Edition with reinforced binding. 
Glossy pictorial boards. Small puncture in front outer hinge; 
o/w Near Fine in matching Near Fine pictorial d.j.  $13.50


11.  Paxton, Tom. "Belling the Cat and Other Aesop's Fables",
retold in verse by Paxton and richly illustrated in colour by
Robert Rayevsky. Morrow Junior Books, N.Y. (1990). 1st Edition.
4 to., unpaginated (38 pp.). 10 more gently cautionary tales
told in Paxton's ringing, singing, soaring verse. Some of the
other fables included are: "Many Friends"; "The Crow and the
Pitcher"; "Honesty is the Best Policy"; "The Milkmaid and Her 
Pail"; and "The Bird Who Lost His Song". Glossy pictorial
boards. Near Fine in VG+ matching pictorial d.j.    $15.00



12.  Paxton, Tom. "Birds of a Feather and Other Aesop's
Fables", retold in verse by Paxton and featuring lively and
detailed colour illustrations by Robert Rayevsky. Morrow Junior
Books, N.Y. (1993). 1st Edition. 4 to., unpaginated (40 pp.).
Also included: "Seeing is Believing"; "The Laborer and the
Nightingale"; "The Cat and the Fox"; "The Frogs Choose a King";
"The Pot Calls the Kettle Black"; "The Wind and the Sun"; 
and 3 others. Morrow Eagle Library Edition with reinforced 
binding. Glossy pictorial boards. Near Fine in matching
Near Fine pictorial d.j.                      $15.00


13.  Reeves, James. Fables from Aesop, retold by Reeves,
popular writer and editor of children's stories and
anthologies. Blackie, London and Glasgow (1961). 1st Edition
Thus. In defending his interpretations of 49 fables, Reeves
states that it is the qualities of simplicity and directness
which he has tried to preserve in these new versions, but since
the form in which the fables are usually presented is too bare
and unadorned to reveal all their possibilities, he has added
actual words into the mouths of the animals to add an element
of drama and a sense of immediacy. The book contains many b/w
drawings and numerous colour illustrations from the watercolour
paintings of Maurice Wilson. Brown cloth. Minor edgewear; 
slight soiling of foredges; o/w a VG copy in Good Only
pictorial d.j.                    $15.00

14.    (Townsend) Aesop's Fables, based on the translation
by George Fyler Townsend. 3-page Intro. by Isaac Bashevis Singer.
International Collectors Library, Garden City, N.Y. (1968)
Sm. 8 vo., 215 pp. Attached Blue ribbon bookmark. 10-page
Preface by Townsend. Over 300 fables included. Dozens of
line drawings by Murray Tinkelman. Blue cloth with Gold titling
and decoration. Minor edgewear; remains of a bookplate on
f.e.p.; o/w a VG or better copy.                $11.00



15.   (Watts) The Wind and the Sun: an
Aesop Fable retold and illustrated by
Bernadette Watts. North-South Books, N.Y.
1992. 1st U.S. edition. Tall 4 to.,
unpaginated (26 pp.). The Wind and the Sun
have a contest to see which one can make
a man remove his cloak. The moral: it is
easier to influence people with gentleness
than with force. Wonderful soft pastel
illus. by the author. Glossy pictorial
boards. Slight edgewear; o/w Near Fine in
VG+ pictorial d.j.           $17.50


















16.   (Winter) The Aesop for Children, copiously
illustrated in colour and b/w by Milo Winter.
Checkerboard Press, (Macmillan), N.Y. Circa 1986(orig.
publ'd in 1919). Tall 4 to., 96 pp. A marvelous
collection of 126 fables with excellent illustrations
by Winter, 12 of them in full-page colour, several
quarter-page and half-page colour plus dozens in
black-and-white. Glossy Orange boards with colour
illus. on front panel. Minor edgewear and rubbing; 
o/w a VG+ copy.               15.00
(NOTE: the illus. shown above of frontispiece and
title-page for "The Aesop for Children" is from
another (sold) edition, but the the Checkerboard
Press edition offered here looks the same except
for the publishing information at bottom of page.)





 




















17.   (Young) "The Lion and the Mouse: an Aesop Fable",
with delightful b/w pictures by Ed Young. Doubleday & Co.;
N.Y. Sq. 8 vo., unpaginated (32 pp.) 2nd U.S. printing. 1980. 
A lion spares a mouse's life for a future favour, which he makes 
good on. Aesop's moral: "A change in circumstances can make the 
strong weak and the weak, strong."  Wonderfully illustrated with 
the soft pencil drawings of Ed Young. Cream paper-on-boards. 
Minor edgewear; 2 corners bumped; dings to top and bottom of spine;  
remainder "spray" on bottom edges; o/w VG in G+ pictorial 
d.j. with some discolouration and heavy chipping.    $11.50





OTHER FABLE COLLECTIONS





























18.  Avianus. "The Fables of Avianus", translated by David
R. Slavitt. Published by John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore
and London (1993). 1st Edition. 8 vo., 55 pp. 4 full-page
illus. by Neil Welliver. All 42 fables of Avianus are presented
here in the splendid verse translations of Slavitt. Avianus has
not received much attention over the years, but his tales have
strong morals and also contain much amusement. Grey cloth. Near
Fine in Near Fine d.j. with minor rubbing.      $16.50

































19.  Bulatov, M. "The Wild Geese and Other Russian Fables".
Collected by Bulatov, translated by V. de S. Pinto. Published
by Transatlantic Arts, London and N.Y. 1943. 1st English Edition.
Tall 4 to., 72 pp. 12 full-page colour illus. plus numerous
b/w illus. by Y. Vasnetzov and K. Kuznetzov. An entertaining
collection of 18 Russian fables, each two to four pages long.
Blue cloth. Some fading of edges and top of spine; prev. owner's
bookplate on f.e.p.; o/w VG in Good Only pictorial d.j. with
some chipping, taping and two chunks missing.       $19.50


20.  Gay, John. Fables. (1727, 1738). William Andrews Clark
Memorial Library. University of California. 1967. 8 vo. 155 pp.
Reproduced from originals in possession of the Library. 
Introduction by Vinton A. Dearing. As Dearing points out with
regard to morals: "The first series, dedicated to Prince William,
contains a good deal of miscellaneous moralizing not directly 
applicable to or by the dedicatee, and the second series seems
to contain a disproportionate amount of political moralizing."
Numerous illustrations are included as well from the original
printings. The First Series feature the work of John Wootton,
William Kent, Peter Fourdrinier and others. The Second Series
were illustrated by Hubert Francois Gravelot, an artist with whom
Thomas Gainsborough studied drawing. Plain stiff card wraps.
Minor soiling and chipping of covers; o/w a VG copy.   $21.50







































21.  Krylov. "The Cat and the Cook and Other Fables of
Krylov", retold by Ethel Heins and with magnificent,
detailed colour illustrations by Anita Lobel. Greenwillow
Books, N.Y. (1995). 1st Edition. Tall 8 vo., 32 pp. The fables
of Ivan Krylov, a 19th century poet and fabulist, have enchanted
generations of Russian children. Here are 12 of his best,
including "The Kitten and the Starling"; "Fortune and the
Beggar"; "The Cat and the Cook"; and, "The Eagle and the Mole".
Glossy pictorial boards. Near Fine in matching Near Fine
pictorial d.j.                             $20.00




22.   La Fontaine. Fables de La Fontaine.
Nouvelle edition. n.d. (circa 1915). Tours,
Maison Alfred Mame Et Fils. 16 mo., 400 pp.
With frontispiece and 105 vignettes by
K. Girardet. Includes an 8-pp. Preface by
La Fontaine and a 16-pp. Life of Aesop.
Paper-covered boards with Black cloth
spine. Moderate edgewear and minor soiling
of covers; half of paper label missing
from spine; front board slightly bowed;
two prev. owner's names on f.e.p.'s; some
notes written on r.e.p.; a few checks in
margins; o/w a G+ clean, solid copy.
                                 $40.00





23.   La Fontaine. The Rich Man and the
Shoe-maker, a fable by La Fontaine. Oxford
University Press, London. 1965. 1st Edition.
Tall 4 to., unpaginated (32 pp.). Presented
with bold, evocative colour illustrations on
every page by Brian Wildsmith. Grey cloth. 
Moderate wear and fading of edges; boards
slightly bowed; prev. owner's name and address
on f.e.p.; o/w a near VG copy in a G+ pictorial
d.j. with moderate chipping and minor discolouration.  $17.50

















24.  Reiser, Lynn. Two Mice in Three Fables. Greenwillow
Books, N.Y.(1995). 4 to., 32 pp. 1st Edition in book form.
3 modern fables involving two mice, an owl, a raccoon and
a snake. Colourfully illustrated by the author. Glossy
pictorial boards. Slight edgewear; o/w VG+ in matching
VG+ d.j.                                     $10.00

End of Aesop's Fables and Other Fables Books