Can you guess the origins of these famous sayings?

We started learning about "fables" in Language Arts this week—but of course, I'm pretty well versed in them. Not just because I like to write (and fables are a cool storytelling method), but also because the sixth book in the Superman Duffy series of graphic novels—Cut! To the Chase... is actually a re-telling of Aesop's classic tale, The Tortoise and the Hare.

You probably know that story—the whole who wins the race, the supposedly fast rabbit, or the sluggish turtle idea—but some of Aesop's other fables might not be as common to you. What is, though, are some of the sayings that originated from his stories, the kind we use in our everyday language.

For instance, “Slow and steady wins the race” is obviously from The Tortoise and the Hare. But, did you know that “Honesty is the best policy” is from Aesop’s tale Mercury and the Woodsman, or that “Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill” is from the story, The Mountain in Labor?

My parents are always telling me not to “count my chickens before they hatch”—they probably doesn’t even realize that expression comes from Aesop’s fable, The Milkmaid and her Pail. And sometimes, I forget to “look before you leap” which is, you guessed it, another expression from an Aesop story, The Fox and the Goat.

“Birds of a feather flock together” comes from the Farmer and the Stork and to have “sour grapes” was first used in Aesop’s tale, The Fox and the Grapes. Who knew? Well, I guess we all do, now, right?

Huh. Aesop really did write a lot about animals! I guess it comes down to “quality, not quantity”— <grin> see what I did there? That saying is from Aesop’s tale, The Lioness and the Vixen.

Gotta jet! I'd say I'm planning to spend the weekend reading more of Aesop's stories but it's supposed to be nice—maybe one of the last nice weekends before the cold snap hits, so I'm going to spend as much time outdoors as I can. Be safe and have fun!

~ Chase Superman Duffy