A fable is a short story that teaches a lesson, usually featuring animals that talk and act like people. The most famous fables come from an ancient Greek storyteller named Aesop, who lived about 2,500 years ago. In “The Tortoise and the Hare,” a slow but steady tortoise beats a fast but overconfident rabbit in a race, teaching that persistence matters more than natural talent alone. In “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” a shepherd boy tricks villagers so many times that they stop believing him when he really needs help.

What makes something a fable rather than just any story with animals? Fables are brief and pointed: they exist to make one clear point about human behavior. The lesson, called a moral, is sometimes stated directly at the end: “Slow and steady wins the race.” The animals aren't realistic; they're really humans in disguise, chosen because their traits match the lesson. A fox represents cleverness, an ant represents hard work, a lion represents power.

Writers still create fables today, though Aesop's fables remain the most widely known. When someone refers to a person or event as fabled, they mean legendary or famous, though that's a slightly different meaning of the word.