The central message of the well-known fable "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" seems to be a simple one: appearances can be deceiving. In "The Milkmaid and the Pail," readers learn not to count chickens before they hatch. Though it often takes life experiences to learn such lessons, Aesop's fables lay the groundwork for readers. Through more than a dozen fables, readers encounter ideas important to character education as they use their imagination to meet Aesop's lively characters. Brightly colored illustrations portray each fable in vivid detail.