Ancient fables were originally folk oral creations and a literary genre. A story with allegorical or obvious lesson significance. Its structure is short. The protagonist can be a human, an animal, or an inanimate object. The difference between Western fables and Western fables lies in the use of metaphorical techniques to convey meaningful themes or profound truths in simple stories, while also requiring one’s own understanding and contemplation.
《古代寓言·一个洞的“网”》
语有之曰：“有鸟将来，张罗待之，得鸟者一目也。”
今为一目之罗，无时得鸟矣。
——《申鉴》
One-Hole Nets
There is an old saying, “No matter how big a net one may spread, each bird is caught in a single hole.”
Now a person was so fascinated by this witticism that he took a number of pieces of string and made separate loops of them by tying the ends together.
Consequently never once did he catch a bird with those “nets.”
–Shen Jian
（杨宪益、戴乃迭 译）
