Glenn Muir

The McFables Glenn Muir

Whilst at a meeting o the West Lothian Poetry Group, Quill, the suggestit homework wis for us tae scrieve a poem on the topic o unlikely freenships. My effort wis a reworking o Aesop's fable The Lion and the Moose. This got me thinking aboot reworking mair o Aesop's fables and translating them intae Scots. This buik is the end result o this self-imposed project. First, though, a few words aboot Aesop. The life o Aesop is a bit o a mystery. There is even some debate if Aesop wis an actual person or jist a name used by anither scriever. However, there hae been mentions o Aesop in Greek history, which his allowed historians tae piece thegither a biography (if it is true that he existit). A wheen o the stories aboot Aesop contain mythical interventions and legends. Aesop is believed tae hae been alive frae 620 tae 560 BC. It is believed that he wis a slave, but was gien his freedom because o his literacy and storytelling. He is also described wi monie physical deformities and a speech impediment that wis cured by a deity. Aesop wis said tae hae escaped punishment monie times throughoot his life, aftimes standing up tae his accusers and telling a story that showed the irony or the characteristics o those punishing him. His daith is jist as much o a mystery as his life. It is believed that he stole a gowd or siller cup and wis violently pit tae daith by being flung aff a cliff.