Hermes and the Sculptor

Hermes, wishing to know how esteemed he was among men, betook himself, under the guise of a mortal, to the workshop of a sculptor.

Espying a statue of Zeus, King of the Gods, he asked:

‘How much?’

The sculptor replied:

‘One drachma.’

Hermes smiled and asked:

‘How much is the statue of Hera, Queen of the Gods?’

‘It is more expensive,’ was reply.

Hermes then noticed a statue of himself. He presumed that, being both the messenger of Zeus and the god of profit-making,

he was held in the highest esteem with men. He asked the price. The sculptor responded:

‘Oh, if you buy the first two, I’ll throw that one in for free.’

Let this be a lesson to a vain man who has no consideration for others.

Aesop (/ˈiːsɒp/ EE-sop; Greek: Αἴσωπος, Aisōpos; c. 620 – 564 BCE) was a Greek fabulist and story teller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains unclear and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. Many of the tales are characterized by animals and inanimate objects that speak, solve problems, and generally have human characteristics.

Scattered details of Aesop's life can be found in ancient sources, including Aristotle, Herodotus, and Plutarch. An ancient literary work called The Aesop Romance tells an episodic, probably highly fictional version of his life, including the traditional description of him as a strikingly ugly slave (δοῦλος) who by his cleverness acquires freedom and becomes an adviser to kings and city-states. Older spellings of his name have included Esop(e) and Isope. Depictions of Aesop in popular culture over the last 2500 years have included many works of art and his appearance as a character in numerous books, films, plays, and television programs.

(wikipedia)