Background

[|fable] Aesop did not write his fables specifically for children. However, they slowly began to be read to children, particularly in the Victorian period. During the Victorian period, a genre for children had started to grow. During the Victorian period, parents were concerned with maintaining their childrens' innocence. Thus, moral tales, proved to be very instructive. Perhaps this was Thomas Cowperthwait's idea when he added in the application at the end of each fable, which helps to explain the moral message of the fable. Children's prayer books were common during the 18th century. It can be speculated that Cowperthwait created a new and innovative idea, adding an application and treating children's stories like prayers, in that they could be applied to children's every day lives. Cowperthwait makes it clear in the frontispiece that the book includes instructive applications, a strategy that would have been smart during the 18th century, as parents were looking for books that wold both teach and entertain their children.
 * Background**: Aesop's Fables is a collection of well known stories that have been told for generations. Even today parents read their children Aesop's Fables. Little is known about Aesop and his background. Aesop was a Greek fabulist and it is believed that he was a slave who lived in Samos during the 6th century B.C.. He was later freed by his master. It is believed that Aesop's fables were preserved through Babrius, Phaedrus, Planudes Maximus and La Fontaine, who were other fabulists. Perhaps it was Aesop's background in being a slave that led him to tell such moral tales.