童話故事以他們的表現方式出現在他們的哲學思想中。而在較廣泛的定義中，《伊索寓言》(公元前六世紀)是西方世界第一本著名的童話集。

　　阿佩萊斯和小毛驢

　　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.

　　阿佩萊斯遇到一只小小的毛驢，當晚就請它去喝茶。這小驢子高興得全身顫抖，它在森林里高視闊步，和所有路過的人嘮嘮叨叨地說：“阿佩萊斯煩死我了，你知道，他死纏著我不放，不論什么時候遇到她，他總是叫我去喝茶，我想他一定是要按我的模樣畫一匹天上的飛馬呢。”

　　“不，哪有那么回事!”阿佩萊斯說道(他正好在旁邊)，“我畫的是國王米達斯的審判，我認識你，是因為你似乎在吹噓你的耳朵長度合適。所以如果你來喝茶，我高興之至。長耳朵的驢子并不稀奇，可是你生的那副耳朵，無論大小驢子都不能和你相比!”

　　蠢才妄自尊大。他自鳴得意，恰恰是受人嘲笑奚落的短處，而且常常把應該引以為奇恥大辱的事情大吹大擂。