Animal Fables from the Dark Continent
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Authors
Stafford, A. O
Issue Date
1906
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Type
Book, Whole
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Abstract
Exactly eleven years ago I found -- from Pamela Geister, Lincoln City, OR, through Ebay -- a copy of this little reader published a hundred years ago. I noted with sadness that it was missing 113-14. Now I have found a copy with separated covers but with all the pages. 113-14 are there in all their glory! Patience has paid off! Let me include some of my comments on that copy. Of the thirty-four Black fables offered here, Stafford writes in his preface that twenty come directly from African sources and fourteen from American. Readers will notice a number that relate to Br'er Rabbit stories. The turtle, for example, pleads to be killed by being thrown into the river in The Turtle, the Wolf, and the Hyena (99). Many stories are eteological, especially in demonstrating why particular animals are enemies of each other. New to me is The Dog and the Clever Rabbit (17) with one of the best illustrations. The dog has the rabbit holed up in a hollow tree and asks the goose to watch while he goes to get moss and fire to smoke him out. The rabbit blinds the goose with sawdust and gets away. Another fine illustration shows the rabbit comfortably reading The Jungle News newspaper (36). Many stories are explicitly linked with the foregoing story with a line or two at their beginning. There is a T of C at the front. About eight of the illustrations are unsigned. The others are signed either NI or Noble-Ives. I am indebted to Jay Dillon for pointing out that this illustrator is Sarah Noble-Ives (1864-1944).
Description
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Publisher
American Book Company
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Identifier
7085 (Access ID)