Aesop was a storyteller and slave who lived 2,500 years ago in ancient Greece. Because of his humble position in society, Aesop could not speak his thoughts openly. So he told fables, stories in which animals speak and act like people. Aesop could not speak out, but in his fables the animals could talk and comment on human society without rebuke.To this day, Aesop's fables are retold by storytellers the world over.

Traditional stories endure generation after generation because although they are not literal they resound in truths on a human scale. Folktales remind us of wisdom so elemental it is often lost in the rush of everyday life, so that sometimes common sense makes no sense at all.

World Tales of Wisdom and Wonder is a collection of folktales told in a weave of poetry, prose, original melody, and guitar. Drawn from cultures around the globe, these colorful tales offer a leap into fantasy and some homespun wisdom passed down through the oral tradition.The sequel to Wonder Tales From Around The World.© and (P)2001 Heather Forest