Fox Fables

Abstract

This is the second version I have found of this large, handsome, landscape-formatted book of 32 pages presenting two fables bilingually. Whereas the copy I found four years ago was Arabic and English, this copy is Urdu and English. I hope at some flea market some day to get all thirty-three bilingual translations! FC is visually splendid! The size of the book allows Jago to create impressive illustrations like that of the crane unable to slurp up soup as well as three detailed specific views of her attempts. Casey has the crane thank the fox for his kindness politely and add: Please let me repay you -- come to dinner at my house. The page after the story lists activities: writing, art, maths, storytelling, and music. The second story here is The Ruler of the Forest, and it is labelled a Chinese fable. It was called King of the Forest in my earlier version. Tiger comes upon fox and frightens him. In desperation, fox claims that he is ruler of the forest. Tiger roars with laughter. Fox answers that he will show tiger. This I've got to see, tiger says. Fox gets tiger to walk behind him. Of course, every animal upon whom these two come runs away in respect. Tiger is fooled and pays his respects to the ruler of the forest. Fox bids him be gone and then, on the way home, has a good laugh over the whole ploy. This story is also strongly illustrated. I fear this copy is lacking its very first inside page. I am thus unsure of the Urdu translator of the first fable.