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Who’s the greatest storyteller in world history?
Your crusty old English professor would slam his “Hamlet” skull on his desk and cry, “‘Tis the Bard, my good sir! The great William Shakespeare ruleth supreme!”
Andtobefair,WilliamShakespeare(orBillyShakespeare,ashisfriendslikedtocallhim)isn’tabadchoice.Hisplayshavesurvivedforhundredsofyears;there’snoreasontoassumetheywon’tlasthundredsofyearslonger.
GreekpeoplemightpointtoAesop,theblindfabulistofAncientGreecewhosestorieshavelastedevenlonger—2,500yearsorso.Aesoptoldlotsoffamousfablesabouttalkinganimals.(Ofcourse,sincehewasblind,hemight’vereallythoughtthoseanimalsweretalking:MaybeanotherGreekguywasplayingaprankonhim.Meanwhile,poorAesopisyelling,“No,theturtleandrabbitwereinarace—Ioverheardthewholething!”)
ShakespeareandAesoparebothexcellentoptions.Andifyouwanttogetbiblical,Moses(who,likeCher,onlygoesbyonename)certainlydeservesconsideration,too:AstheauthoroftheHolyScriptures,hisnarrativehasshapedculture,law,politics,andmoralityforover3
