Why did Aesop use animals instead of humans in fables?
Animals were thought to be lesser (utilitarian, food sources) in the society’s hierarchy in Aesop’s time so he could use them as an example to show ignorance or silliness without being directly degrading to people. These sides of being human and making mistakes could be suggested through an animal’s character without being as insulting as it might be to someone who identified with the position in which the character was found.
