DiscoverAlex Andreou's Podyssey9. AESOP III - How to Lose a Donkey in 10 Ways
9. AESOP III - How to Lose a Donkey in 10 Ways

9. AESOP III - How to Lose a Donkey in 10 Ways

Update: 2025-08-12
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*** SUPPORT SEASON 2 OF PODYSSEY ON ⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/PODYSSEY⁠⁠⁠ ***


What is the moral of "The Tortoise and The Hare"? What is the warning in "A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing"? What is "The Fox and The Grapes" about? You're probably wrong about all three.


In the last instalment of the Aesop Trilogy, Alex delves into the fables themselves and finds the many ways in which they have been twisted and why.




Welcome to Podyssey with Alex Andreou. Each week we will take one myth, one concept, person, place, or theme from Ancient Greece, take it apart, figure out its inner workings, trace its tentacles, juice it for its wisdom, refresh, clean and put it back together - all shiny and new! 


"Our Aesop-muscle has atrophied. We have forgotten how to craft and tell our stories - and in the process forgotten how to listen to the stories of others. Humanity without stories is humanity with no identity."


"How the story made us feel is what we store and recall - not the hard logic, nor the facts and figures. And while it is ludicrous to say 'people have had enough of experts', it’s perfectly fair to say that they have had enough of how their teaching style makes them feel."




*** SUPPORT SEASON 2 OF PODYSSEY ON ⁠⁠⁠⁠KO-FI.COM/PODYSSEY⁠⁠⁠⁠ ***




Written and presented by Alex Andreou


Expert contributions by Alexandra Angeletaki-Røe, Debbie Challis, Linda Marric, and Dr Ruth Smith


Exec. Producers Naomi Smith & Kenny Campbell


Music by Marianna Sangita


Artwork by Simona Kanellou


For Cooler Heads, in collaboration with Sandstone Global




NOTES


MUSIC


Podyssey Theme: “To Margoudi ki o Alexandris”, Marianna Sangita, 2018 (with permission)


Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra ("The Prophets”), Jascha Heifetz 1956


Dorothy Collins: “To Make A Long Story Short”, 1953


Hans Werner Henze: Moralitäten 1. Teil, conducted by the composer, 1968


Tom Lehrer: “Smut”, public domain, 1965


Sandra Church: Gypsy “Little Lamb”, 1959


Giorgos Gounaris: “To Pazari” (The Market), 1939


Jean-Philippe Rameau: “Platée”, Michel Sénéchal, 1956


Gioachino Rossini: “Duetto Buffo di Due Gatti”, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf & Victoria de los Angeles, Royal Festival Hall, 1967


Modest Mussorgsky: “The Song of The Flea”, Feodor Chaliapin, 1936


Gerónimo Giménez: La Tempranica “La Tarantula”, Victoria de los Angeles, BBC 1968


Bizet: “La Coccinelle”, Cecilia Bartoli, (fair usage for review) 1996


Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Die Zauberflöte “Pa-pa-pa-gena”, Walter Berry & Emmy Loose, 1955


Emma Papikyan: “Dzidzernak” (Swallow), Armenia Radio Archives, 1993


Saint-Saens: Parysatis "Le Rossignol Et La Rose" , Mado Robin, RTF archive 1954


Manos Hadjidakis: “Magiki Poli” (Magical City), Zoe Maggou, 1954


Leoš Janáček: Cunning Little Vixen - Finale, Prague National Theatre, 1958


Jerome Kern: Show Boat “Make Believe”, Marion Marlowe & Frank Parker, 1953




ART


Frans Snyders: "The Cock and the Jewel", oil on canvas 1620 - Auckland Art Gallery


Agnes Miller Parker: “The Cock and the Jewel”, wood engraving c1931 - private collection


The Cock and the Jewel”, Chelsea Porcelain, c1770 - Fitzwilliam Museum


The Cock and the Jewel”, pendant in gold and pearl with rubies, Dutch 16C - private collection


The Miller, His Son, And Their Ass”, John Tenniel illustrations, 1882 




FILM


Fantastic Mr. Fox” 2009


Bambi” 1942


Spirited Away” 2001


Howl’s Moving Castle” 2004

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9. AESOP III - How to Lose a Donkey in 10 Ways

9. AESOP III - How to Lose a Donkey in 10 Ways

Alex Andreou