There are a great and colorful variety of ancient Chinese fables. Like myths, poetry, nursery rhymes, and proverbs, fables are artistic gems that express truths and wisdom known by the common people. Each of these simple and exquisite stories contain wit and wisdom that enlighten, instruct and bring joy to their listeners. The 2001 set of four stamps in the fables series features the following fables: "Now Three, Now Four" (about inconsistency), "Selling the All-Penetrating Sword and Unyielding Shield" (about self-contradiction), "Waiting by the Tree for the Rabbit" (No pains, no gains.) and "An Old Fool Moves Mountains" (about persistence). This set of stamp is scheduled to be released on September 6, 2001. Two will have denominations of NT$5.00, one a denomination of NT$12.00 and the last a denomination of NT$25.00. Mr. Rolland Chang was commissioned to design the stamps, which are being printed in color deep-etch offset by China Color Printing Co., Inc. The topics and designs for the individual stamps are briefly described below:1) "Now Three, Now Four": This fable comes from Chuang-tzu. The stamp shows a monkey keeper holding up his hands in front of a group of monkeys, with three acorns in one hand, and four acorns in the other. It originally referred to trickery, and it has come to mean inconsistency.2) "Selling the All-Penetrating Sword and Unyielding Shield": This expression comes from Hanfei-tzu. The stamp shows a boastful hawker of weapons who is asked what happens when the "unyielding" shield he is selling meets the "all-penetrating" sword he is also selling. The fable is about how those who utter false boasts often fall into a trap of their own making.3) "Waiting by the Tree for the Rabbit": This fable comes from Hanfei-tzu. It describes a farmer who once saw a rabbit accidentally killed when it ran into a tree. The farmer thus decides to hunt for rabbits by waiting next to the tree. It's a fable about how a foolish lack of initiative can turn one into a laughing stock.4) "An Old Fool Moves Mountain": This fable comes from Lie-tzu. The stamp shows an old man in his nineties who leads his children and grandchildren in moving rocks and digging earth, determined to remove the mountains that block the way to their home. Determined to help himself, the old man meets with Heaven's favor. It shows that where there's a will, there's a way. First-day covers, folders with and without crystal mounts and loose-leaf album pages will be released along with the stamps. These will go on sale September 4, 2001. Pre-cancelled FDCs with the full set of stamps or with just one lower-value stamp will go on sale September 6, 2001, the stamps' date of issue. For further information, please refer to the upcoming Philatelic Bulletin or Postal Service Today.