GESC2450

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Wisdom of Aesop’s Fables

Dr. Fred Cheung 張學明博士

PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

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• Management, definition:

• The process of dealing with or

controlling things or people

• “The control and organization of

something,”
• “The activity of controlling something,
or of using or dealing with something
in a way that is effective” Cambridge
Dictionary 2
• Meaningful stories from Aesop’s Fables
• [Wisdom in Management] ( 伊索寓言 )

• References:
• Aesop: The Complete Fables;

• Aesop & the CEO: Powerful Business

Insights from Aesop’s Ancient Fables;

• Resurrecting Aesop: Fables Lawyers

Should Remember.
• 鄧東濱編著：《伊索寓言的管理智慧》 3
• Aesop ( 伊索 ) was born in 6th century B.C.
• A handicapped slave? Killed in Delphi?
• Author of the Fables, but some scholars believe that
there was no such person at all?!

• Characteristics:
1.Simple stories
2.Using animals and human beings as
characters
3.Some hidden wisdom and moral ideas
in each chapter.
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• Reflect lives’
–Friendship
–Kindness & righteousness
–Humility & pride
–Diligence & laziness

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• The North Wind and the Sun
( 北風與太陽 )

( wisdom:“persuasion is often
more effective than violence.”)

( 「壓迫力愈大，反抗力愈強」 )

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• The Deer at the Pond (and the Lion)
• (“The Stag at the Spring and the Lion”)
( 池邊的鹿 )

(Wisdom: 自己輕視的可能救了自己；自己引
以為榮
的可能毀滅了自己 )

【真正最珍貴的人材培訓，往往遭到輕視】

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The Ploughman’s Quarrelsome Sons
( 父親和他的兒子們 )

Wisdom:“Unity is strength”
（“ United, we stand; Divided, we fall.” ）
(This fable shows that, as long as
harmony is maintained, discord is easy
to overcome)
（「團結就是力量」）
（＝「成吉思汗和他的孩子們」 )
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• “The Hind (young deer) and the Lion in
a Cave”

• (Wisdom: Men, fearing a lesser danger,

sometimes throw themselves into a
greater one”)

• Ernest Hemingway, Old Man and the

Sea:
• “between the devil and the deep blue
sea” 9
• “The Lion and the Mouse who
Returned a Kindness”

• (Wisdom: This fable shows how,

through the changes of fortune, the
strong can come to depend on the
weak)

• + Chinese history *
• 戰國策 : “ 馮諼客孟嘗君” *
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“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”
•(“The Nightingale and the Hawk”)
•( 一鳥在手勝於百鳥在林 )

•(Wisdom: Men are foolish who, in hope of greater

things, let those which they have in their grasp
escape)

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• “Sour grapes”
• (The Fox and the Bunch of Grapes”)
• Wisdom: ( 吃不到的葡萄是酸的 )

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• “Slow but sure”
• (“Slowly but Surely”)
• (“The Tortoise and the Hare”)
• ( 龜兔賽跑 )
• Wisdom: This fable shows that hard
work often prevails over natural talents
(who may be too proud or arrogant).
• + 2 more added stories

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• “Crying wolf too often”
• (“The Joking Shepherd”)
• ( 狼來了 )
• Wisdom: This fable shows that liars
gain only one thing, which is not to be
believed even when they tell the truth.

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• “Look before you leap”
• (“Think twice before you leap”)
• ( 三思而後行 )

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• “The Frogs who Demanded a King”

• Hydra = water serpent

• (Hydra [Greek] = water)

• (Aqua [Latin] = water, thus, Aquarius,
aquarium, … )

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• *“A friend in need is a friend indeed”*
• 「患難見真情」 (*?!)
• (“Where were you when I needed you most!”)
[“You left me when I needed you most!”]
• https://youtu.be/a_B7ob_kV0I
• https://youtu.be/yBOQgL731Ac
• Cf. “You’ve Got A Friend” (by Carole King)
• https://youtu.be/BcJbzuyp6VY
• https://youtu.be/w4mNDS5rIRU
• Bridge over troubled water (with lyrics)
• https://youtu.be/jjNgn4r6SOA
• https://youtu.be/iIm-YTrs4tM
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• “The Hen that Laid the Golden Eggs”

• Wisdom: This fable shows that we

should be content with our lot, and
shun insatiable greed.

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 + Case studies from Ancient Greek Myths
古希臘神話案例 :
+ 破壞女神給最美麗的女神之「金蘋果」
(“Golden Apple”)( 最毒的破壞 : 挑撥離間 )

+ 「木馬屠城記 」” Wooden Horse”( 「以退為進」之一 )

+ 「 Pandora’s Box 」 ( 「以退為進」之二 )

( 叮囑千萬不要打開，反而刺激好奇心 ” curiosity” 去開 )

+ 「 Achilles’ heel 」 ( 愈是多保護 = 愈是「致命」 )

( 愈是沒有保護的野孩子反比溫室長大的更能生存 )
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