MODERN FABLES — All 51 (Updated Weekly)

 

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Welcome.

This Table of Contents page gathers all 51 of my Modern Fables, posted here one each week.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TRUSTWORTHY

CHAPTER 1: APPLES

CHAPTER 2: HONESTLY!

CHAPTER 3: "LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS"

 CHAPTER 4: SNITCH OR NOT?

CHAPTER 5: SOMETHING FISHY

LOYAL

CHAPTER 6: DUKE AND DUCHESS

CHAPTER 7: FRIEND IN NEED

CHAPTER 8: BECKY AND TESS

HELPFUL

CHAPTER 9: BEARLY BACK

CHAPTER 10: MOVING DAY

CHAPTER 11: RUSTY, THE WONDER DOG

CHAPTER 12: THE ALMOST KISS

CHAPTER 13: WORK IS LOVE MADE REAL

FRIENDLY

CHAPTER 14: CELL MATES

CHAPTER 15: SNOW BUSINESS

CHAPTER 16: THE ALMOST DATE

CHAPTER 17: TICKLED PINK

COURTEOUS

CHAPTER 18: "ARE YOU GONNA WEAR THAT?"

CHAPTER 19: DON'T CUT OFF YOUR NOSE

CHAPTER 20: ON TIME OR ELSE

CHAPTER 21: RECITAL

CHAPTER 22: TIMING IS ALMOST EVERYTHING

KIND

CHAPTER 23: DOING WHAT COMES NATURALLY

CHAPTER 24: SHE THROWS FREE THROWS

CHAPTER 25: TOO TALL

OBEDIENT

CHAPTER 26: EGGS-ACTLY

CHAPTER 27: FAIR PLAY

CHAPTER 28: MISTAKEN IDENTITY

CHAPTER 29: MOTORCYCLE

CHAPTER 30: TOO FAR

CHEERFUL

CHAPTER 31: PIG IN A POKE

CHAPTER 32: CLOSE BUT NOT QUITE

CHAPTER 33: EATING THE ELEPHANT

CHAPTER 34: THE BIGGER THEY ARE

THRIFTY

CHAPTER 35: FIELD DAY

CHAPTER 36: LENDING WOES

CHAPTER 37: SWIMMING POOL

CHAPTER 38: WASTE NOT, WANT NOT

BRAVE

CHAPTER 39: AMANDA'S LOVE

CHAPTER 40: DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL

CHAPTER 41: FIGHT OR FLIGHT

CHAPTER 42: SNIPE HUNT

CHAPTER 43: HOME OF THE BRAVE

CLEAN

CHAPTER 44: A STITCH IN TIME

CHAPTER 45: FIRE DRILL?

CHAPTER 46: NO SLEEP-OVERS

REVERENT/RESPECTFUL

CHAPTER 47: APPLES AND ORANGES

CHAPTER 48: NEW YORK CITY TRIP

CHAPTER 49: RUNNING UP THE SCORE

CHAPTER 50: MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD

CHAPTER 51: THE HONOR FLIGHT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE COVER

WRITE A REVIEW?

 These are short stories—simple, direct, and meant to illuminate questions of character, judgment, and everyday life. They are inspired by the spirit of Aesop, adapted to modern settings.

Each fable is about 500 words and can be read in just a few minutes.

If a fable speaks to you, you might share it with a friend—or with a child. These stories are meant to be read, reflected upon, and, perhaps, discussed.

A new fable appears each Sunday.

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About the Book

These fables are drawn from my book:

MODERN FABLES: Character Lessons and Life Skills for Success

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Stay With the Series

You can also follow the weekly postings on X (formerly Twitter) and occasional readings on YouTube.

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Thank you for reading.

— Douglas Winslow Cooper, PhD

MODERN FABLES: Dedication and Preface (Excerpt)

                                                                      DEDICATION

To a generation currently growing up in “interesting times”--- some stories to help light the way.

In loving memory of my dear wife, Tina Su Cooper— our heroine—who exemplified all these values.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

 

Brian Maher inspired this project with his support and input over a decade ago, and it would not have been done without him.

The author has benefited from modern contributions to the writing craft from Grammarly and Anthropic’s Claude AI. However, the stories were originally written over a decade ago without these wonderful assistants.

Before sending the manuscript to the publisher, I solicited and received helpful advice from the following fellow authors. I’ll note one of each of their books for your consideration: Jim Bakun (Financial Success for Newlyweds), Edison Guzman (Frustrated with Life?), Gabi Lanyi (Cheating Memory), Steve Miller (Sell More Books!), Virginia Lohmann Nodhturft (F.W.E. Lohmann, Elizabeth Van Lew’s Civil War Spy).

I also received encouragement, help, or both from some non-authors, including my youngest brother, consulting chemist Dr. Christopher Blair Cooper; my younger son, business exec Phil Chiang, MBA.

PREFACE

A decade or so ago, Brian Maher, a community member and elected official I met at my local Chamber of Commerce, suggested I help him write a book encouraging young people to adopt many of the maxims my generation learned from literature, such as Aesop’s fables.

We worked on it for months, and when his other obligations forced him to stop, I continued. I awaited his agreement to publish, and now I can.

These are “fables,” almost-true stories that make important points. In finishing this work, I was aided by the Anthropic AI called “Claude,” which describes what Aesop did, as follows:

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A fable is a brief narrative designed to teach a moral lesson. Unlike other forms of storytelling, fables are explicitly instructional—each story concludes with a clear principle about how to live well. The best fables achieve something remarkable: they make wisdom memorable by embedding it in concrete situations we can picture and understand.

The most famous fables in Western culture come from Aesop, a storyteller who lived in ancient Greece around 600 BCE. Though scholars debate whether Aesop was a single historical figure or a tradition of multiple storytellers, the "Aesopic" fables have endured for over 2,500 years. Stories like "The Tortoise and the Hare" (slow and steady wins the race), "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" (liars aren't believed even when telling the truth), and "The Ant and the Grasshopper" (prepare for hard times during plenty) remain as relevant today as when first told.

Aesop's fables typically featured animals behaving like humans, which served several purposes. Animal characters made the stories entertaining and non-threatening to listeners. A proud crow or a cunning fox allowed people to examine human flaws without feeling personally attacked. The simplicity of the characters—each animal embodying one or two traits—made the moral lesson crystal clear.

Why do stories work so well as teaching tools? First, stories engage our emotions and imagination in ways that abstract principles cannot. "Be honest" is advice; watching a character suffer consequences for dishonesty creates understanding. Second, stories provide context. We learn not just what to do, but when, why, and how. Third, stories are memorable. People forget lectures but remember narratives. A vivid story stays with us, ready to guide us when we face similar situations in our own lives.

Fourth, and perhaps most important, stories build moral imagination. They let us "try on" different choices and their consequences without real-world risk. Through stories, young people can explore courage, honesty, loyalty, and kindness before facing moments when these virtues will be tested.

The fable tradition recognizes a profound truth: humans are story-shaped creatures. We understand our lives as narratives, not as lists of rules. The most effective moral education, therefore, doesn't just tell people what virtues matter—it shows those virtues in action through characters facing real dilemmas and making choices with real consequences.

This is why fables have survived millennia and crossed cultures. Good stories teaching good values never go out of style.

Resuming Blog in May 2026 - MODERN FABLES: Character Lessons and Life Skills for Success (Cooper, 2026)