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THE JEWISH EN^CYCLOPEDIA

221

way among tlic Jews. Just as several of the apocalyptic works seem to show that the ideas of the Persian religion have hail a bearing >ipou Jewish theological modes of Ihoiighl. so do the conceptions of the Book of Tobit with regard to Asmodens. and the depiclion of Ashmedai in the Talmud, show that the jiopular beliefs of the Persians have likewise had a bearing, presumably in the lirst instance, on popular RiRi.iocR.vpHY

and modes of

lieliefs,

their theological

later,

1.

ai.s.

E. St.

^SOP'S FABLES Keceul research

AMONG THE JEWS:

lias slinwii

an intimate nlulioii be-

tween the fables associated with the name of ^Esop and the jatakas. or birth-stories of the Buddha.

Sakyamuin is represented in the jatakas as recording the varied e.l)erienees of his previous c.vistences, wiien he was in the form of birds, of beasts, and even of trees. Such legends as these may very well be the natural sources of tales like those fif .-Esop, which represent beasts asacling wilh the sentiments and thoughts of human beings. The jatakas are now e.taut in Pali versions, derived from t'eylon. It is surmised that a nunilier of Ihem India the were introduced into the Greek-speakProbable iiig world by a Cingalese embassy that visitc-d Home about the year .50. as the Source. fables that can be traced in classical literature later than that dale resemble the Indian fables much more closely than the earlier faljles of ^sop, as represented by Pli.'cdrus. It is jirobable that these later Indian fables were connected by the Greeks with the name of a Libyan, called Kybises: Babrius, a writer of fables in the third century, couples him with .Esop. Thus, in the lirst century, there were two sets of fables one associated with the name of .Esop. and the other with that while in the second centiirj' these two of Kybises sets wcR' iiii'luded in oik- compilation, running to three hundred fables, by a rhetor named Xicostratus. In the third century these fables were turned

—

—

Greek verse by Babrius. would appear, from references in the Talnnnl, that the Talmudic sages knew of the fables, both in their .separate and in their collected forms. It is said of .lohanan ben Zakkai (about

into

It

Known

the year HO), • He did not leave out of lu' circle of his studies the s])ee<'h of angels, of demons, and of " trees, the Mishlot Sliiialini and the Misldot Kobsiin (Suk. 28 as staling that Johaiian

was

nciiuainled with .Esop's Fables and w itli the Fables of Kyliises. the latter of which had just been introduced from Ceylon to the (ireik speaking world. In the iie.t century it is slated (Sanli. 3H/;) that " 15. inent is inlerprcted as a reference to the collection of Nicostnttus. The latest reference to fables in the Talmud is in the Mislinali (.S)(ah. ix. I.")!. "Willi the death of U. Meir|atinut 1!MI| fabulisls ceased to be." The imporlaiici' of tbi' Talmudic references in the crilical Idslory of Iju' .Esopic fables is the evidence it alTords of a separate colleciion uridiT the name of Kybises. •
 * Iiir had three hundred Fo. Fables." which stale

Fer

II

fables collected

Dt iDterprptatlon of tlio wnril, wh- Faiilk.

by Dr. Back

The following

(in

"

Monatsschrift,"

will indicate the number of Talmudic fables (or sjtyings implying fables) that are dependent on the Indian and classical collections respectively IsTli-Sli).

through them, on



.Ssop

That a numlxT of the rabbis of the Talmud were acquainted with fables similar to those of Greece and India is evidenced by the list of Talmudic

llKJUght.

BaudLs.'iln. vl.'*»Hn'/f. in Huuck's lieakuciihliipiidu- /tlr ThcnlinfU- itnd Kirthi 11. U2; Slave. EiHtluns iU-tt I'dfuistnus atif (Um JmUntitm^ isys; Kubiu. Pleum Ariu-h,

.^shzna

Title.

list