Final answer:
Creatures like the ant and Brer Rabbit are used in fables and folk tales to illustrate virtues such as industriousness and cleverness. Aesop's Fables and the Grimm brothers' collections often employ these characters to teach moral lessons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The creature often used to illustrate the truth taught against idleness and mischief is the ant. This comes from one of Aesop’s Fables, where the ant is depicted as hardworking and diligent, in contrast to the idle and unprepared grasshopper. In the realm of the fable, the ant showcases the virtue of industriousness and the consequences of not being prepared. Additionally, creatures like Brer Rabbit are used in folk tales to demonstrate the cunning and wit needed to overcome stronger adversaries, often serving as a trickster character. Brer Rabbit, as depicted in Joel Chandler Harris's Uncle Remus stories, exemplifies this role.
Furthermore, animal stories such as those collected by the Grimm brothers or taken from Aesop's Fables have been used to convey a variety of morals and lessons, illustrating how even the smallest animals serve a mighty purpose. These tales and fables have been a significant part of Western societies' literature and have been adapted into various forms of entertainment, including children's storybooks and animated movies.