Note 5 — A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ÆSOPIC FABLE
Reading edition
An episode in the history of the modern Æsop deserves record, if only to illustrate the law that Æsop always begins his career as a political weapon in a new home. When a selection of the Fables were translated into Chinese in 1840 they became favourite reading with the officials, till a high dignitary said, “This is clearly directed against us,” and ordered Æsop to be included in the Chinese Index Expurgatorius (R. Morris, Cont. Rev. xxxix. p. 731).