c. 1600, "unreal, invented," past-participle adjective from fable (v.) "to tell tales" (late 14c.), from Old French fabler "tell, narrate; chatter, boast," from Latin fabulari, from fabula (see fable). Meaning "celebrated in fable" is from 1706.
the fabled Paul Bunyan and his blue ox
fa
fab
Faberge
Fabian
fable
fabled
fable-monger
fabric
fabricate
fabrication
fabulist