童话故事以他们的表现方式出现在他们的哲学思想中。而在较广泛的定义中，《伊索寓言》(公元前六世纪)是西方世界第一本著名的童话集。
阿佩莱斯和小毛驴
Apelles meeting with the little ass1 invited him to tea that very right. The little ass was trembling with delight. He prances2 through the wood; he pesters3 all who pass: 'Apelles bores me so. He will not let me be, you know! Whenever him I see, he asks me in to tea. I'm sure he wants to paint a Pegasus from me.'
'Oh no!' Apelles said as he happened to be near, 'I am painting the judgment4 of King Midas. I'm acquainting with you because you seem to boast the proper length of ear. So if you'll come to tea, most happy I shall be. For long-eared asses5 are not rare, but with the ears that you can show, no little or big ass either ever could compare!'
Consumed with vanity, the fool admires himself for that which others ridicule6, and often makes a boast of that which ought to shame him most.
阿佩莱斯遇到一只小小的毛驴，当晚就请它去喝茶。这小驴子高兴得全身颤抖，它在森林里高视阔步，和所有路过的人唠唠叨叨地说：“阿佩莱斯烦死我了，你知道，他死缠着我不放，不论什么时候遇到她，他总是叫我去喝茶，我想他一定是要按我的模样画一匹天上的飞马呢。”
“不，哪有那么回事!”阿佩莱斯说道(他正好在旁边)，“我画的是国王米达斯的审判，我认识你，是因为你似乎在吹嘘你的耳朵长度合适。所以如果你来喝茶，我高兴之至。长耳朵的驴子并不稀奇，可是你生的那副耳朵，无论大小驴子都不能和你相比!”
蠢才妄自尊大。他自鸣得意，恰恰是受人嘲笑奚落的短处，而且常常把应该引以为奇耻大辱的事情大吹大擂。