Argos and Athens

Andrew Wright

A tradtitional story?  An Aesop fable?  I don’t know. If anyone can tell me the original source then please do.

Aesop was sitting by a road, near Athens.
A friendly man came along the road; he was from Argos.  He smiled at Aesop and said, “Tell me about the people in Athens.”
Aesop said, “Where do you come from?”
The man said, “I come from Argos.”
Aesop said, “Tell me about the people in Argos.”
The man said, “The people in Argos are friendly, generous and warm hearted!”
Aesop said, “I’m happy to tell you, my friend, that you will find the people in Athens are the same!”
A few hours later another man from Argos came along the road.  He stopped and said to Aesop, “Tell me about the people in Athens.”
Aesop said, “Where do you come from?”
The man said, “Argos.”
Aesop said, “Tell me about the people in Argos.”
The man said, “The people in Argos are unfriendly and dishonest.”
Aesop said, “I’m sorry to tell you that you will find the people of Athens are the same.”

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Origin of this story
I don’t know what the origin of this story is!  It seems more complicated than the other Aesop’s Fables.  But I have seen and heard many versions of it and none have indicated a single origin.

Follow up
•    Discuss…is it wholly true or partly true that you find what you want to find in other people?
•    Aesop’s fables usually have a message.  Find and tell some of Aesop’s fables which say something quite important for you.