Did You Know? Aesop

For the last couple of weeks, I've posted interviews with characters from Aesop's Fables, specifically, the Grasshopper and the Tortoise. So, this latest edition of Did You Know? serves up some little known information about Aesop.

Did You Know...

• Aesop is believed to have been born about 620 B.C.?
• No one is certain that Aesop ever really existed? There are many conflicting stories about his life, none of which have ever been substantiated.
• No writings by him survive?
• Some stories of his life say he was a Greek slave who was extremely ugly? In these versions, he was a hunchback.
• Still other stories say he was an Ethiopian?
• There are over 200 fables attributed to Aesop?
• Socrates converted some of Aesop's fables to verse when he was in prison?
• The fables have been changed and adapted so much that they are very different from the original versions?
• It is believed that Aesop died in Delphi? Supposedly, he was on a diplomatic mission there, and insulted them. They sentenced him to death, and threw him off a cliff.

Now, here's a clip from the Merrie Melodies version of The Tortoise and the Hare called Tortoise Beats Hare, starring Bugs Bunny. I love these cartoons!