A fable is a short fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature that are anthropomorphized, meaning they are given human qualities. The story always ends with a moral lesson or maxim. Fables are characterized by their ability to deliver moral messages in a simple way that can be understood and enjoyed by readers of all ages. They are considered to be a sub-genre of fantasy.

Most of the best-known fables are thought to have been written by a man called Aesop, who is believed to have been a slave in Ancient Greece around 550 BC. Aesops fables include "The Crow and the Pitcher", "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Lion and the Mouse".

Fables are different from traditional tales, which are stories that have been told and re-told for many years, and fairy tales, which involve fantasy elements and characters like gnomes, fairies, and witches who use magical powers to accomplish good and/or evil. Fairy tales and fables share many of the same elements, particularly their use of animals with human abilities. The main difference between them is that fairy tales don’t necessarily teach a lesson, while all fables do.

Fables are often used in primary school education to teach children about morals and values. Children are introduced to fables in Key Stage 2, where they would start by reading a range of fables to give them a feel for the genre. They might then carry out a variety of activities, such as writing a diary entry as a character in a fable, acting out the fable in a group, and re-telling the story verbally to a partner or in front of the class.