This well-known story was written many centuries ago by a man named Aesop who wrote stories called fables, which means they have a lesson to teach. They have been told to generations of children for hundreds of years because their popularity has never disappeared. Although many things have changed since this story was written, its message will always make sense. Series editor and principal author of the Red Rocket Readers program, Pam Holden has more than 40 years' specialist experience and as a Reading Recovery teacher working with children struggling with literacy.