what is fable means
Definition. A fable is a fictional narrative meant to teach a moral lesson. The characters in a fable are usually animals whose words and actions reflect human behavior. A form of folk literature, the fable is also one of the progymnasmata. Some of the best known fables are those attributed to Aesop, a slave who lived in Greece in the sixth century BC. (See Examples and Observations below.) A popular modern fable is George Orwell's Animal Farm (1945). Also see: 1  Exemplum.