Des Fables

Abstract

Inscribed by Janot on June 11, '33. These are real fables, and the woodcuts are suitable illustrations of them. After many short-stories and essays that are billed fables, it is a pleasure to see these. In the first, a fox pricks his paw on a hedgehog and spends some time trying to convince him to shed his needles. The hedgehog finishes the fable by saying that he will be glad to do so when the fox gets rid of his teeth. In the second, a miller has all sorts of trouble getting his donkey to cross a wooden bridge on the way to selling his grain. He finally lights on the plan of trying to pull the donkey backwards by the tail. His ploy has the desired effect. To spite his master's efforts, the donkey darts across the bridge! Les Lapins et le Porc-épic (15) tells the traditional tale--with the help of a strong illustration--of some overly compassionate rabbits who listen to a desperate porcupine who wants shelter. Once the latter is in their home, they begin to pay the price for their sympathy. In all, there are four books of fables here, with a total of fifty fables, as the closing T of C shows.