Aesop was toothless, his speech barely understandable. Aesop squinted. He stretched his head forward. His nose was flat, and his skin was dirt-colored. Aesop's belly bulged over his belt. Aesop had crooked legs. His left arm was shorter than his right. Some say his right arm is shorter than his left. Aesop was a slave. He was useless for work in the city. His master assigned him to work in the countryside. Thus begins Schädlich's retelling of the anonymous Greek Aesop novel, preserved in a manuscript from the 10th century. The particular charm, of course, comes from the Aesopian tales. How he carries the provisions for everyone during a difficult hike, heavily bent under the load in the morning, and in the evening - once everything has been eaten - light-footed and unburdened. How he executes his master's commands literally to educate him ("Cook a pair of lentils!") and him, the.