The whole aim of a fable is to create a laugh but yet, under the laughter the fable conveys an instruction. Fables are designed to teach a lesson in morality or judgment. The lessons are implied within the fable itself.
The construction of a fable pays particular attention to the narration itself, the deduction of the moral and a careful maintenance of the individual characteristics of the personages introduced into it. The narration itself relates to a simple action and is not over laden with details. Further there are not a variety of circumstances and is always precise to the point. The moral lesson is so simple and plain that it becomes very easy for a person to deduce it the way it is supposed to be deduced without any room for misinterpretations or distortions. For example in the story "The appointment in Sammara," we learn that it is fruitless to try to escape death as it has its own way of finding us.
Animals have always been an important part of fables. It is also an important thing to note that the animals used in fables always reflect their natural attributes, for example the fox is always shown to be cunning (as we see in 'Camel and his friends) whereas the lion is always shown bold and noble and the hare is always the timid one.
Words of wisdom like "united we stand, divided we fall" and "one should refrain from lying" are words that help a person develop a sound character. One of the best parts about the fables is that they are short and precise to the point. This makes it easier for children to read over and over again while enjoying it. It does not make the read monotonous or tiresome and hence children would prefer reading fables rather than some long story during which they might even lose track of the moral of the story.
It thus proves that fables play an important part in the development of character and introducing words of wisdom to young children who would start applying these morals, ideas and wisdom to their lives from childhood. Hence when they bloom into adult human beings, they will have a sound character along with wisdom. People like Aesop have served humanity by providing an easy way to transfer ideas and moral lessons to our children and us when we were children in the most simplified and effective way that is ever possible.
