Fables about friendship and gratitude focus on two precious things in life. Fables about disguises and deceit warn us of the folly of pretending to be something we are not. Fables about boasting and disputes are cautionary tales that tell us about the importance of humility and loyalty. Fables about greed and self-interest remind us that greed will often lead to losing what you already have.

Fables about bearing ill-will warn us that if we are spiteful and bear ill-will towards others then we are responsible for our own misfortune. Fables about wealth and worth advise use to be content with our lot. Fables about foolishness and wisdom are both funny and tragic. Fables about self-delusion and false claims unmasks some of our less noble traits and behaviours.

Fables about learning from the mistakes of others are cautionary tales. In fables about cunning and tricks the cunning fox features in several of these fables but even the fox can be outwitted sometimes. In fables about choosing the company we keep we learn why it is important to choose our friends carefully. In fables about luck, fate and surprises we learn that elephants may be afraid of gnats, fish will sometimes jump into boats and that frogs have a king in the shape of a log.