Fables de la Fontaine

Abstract

Here is a copy of one of my favorite fable books, alas in wretched condition. It is a second (?) printing of Nézière's glorious book. His illustrations are intact, but the covers of the work are deteriorating. I include the book partially to give representation to the corrupting book in this collection, though I would rather keep it in my room and use it for presentations! Let me include remarks on the 1926 original. An instant favorite! Sixty fables with a T of C at the end. Sixteen full-page brightly-colored illustrations on different paper with very lively movement. There are two black-and-white illustrations per fable except for La Latière (129), which has only one. The match between colored and black-and-white illustrations is extraordinarily good. Nice front and back covers present the cast of characters and the poet himself. Trees are frequently personalized; the frogs romp on a bear of a log (64). Humans often become monkeys. The funniest black-and-white illustration (96) has a horse pulling a rolling scaffold of thirteen people, four children in a coaster cart, an alligator, and a further cast. The secret to the humor of this funny book lies in the use of updated technology. On 11-12, the frog uses a bicycle pump to inflate himself. There is a good splat here! The wolf has a musket against the lamb (21), the mosquito a bow and arrow against the lion (46), the spider--with dead flies pinned to his hat--a butterfly net (49). The pigeon flies an airplane (53), while frogs have umbrellas and bath houses (55). The racing turtle has a cart and a turtle-jockey, while the hare has a bike (117). The tortoise in mid-air is carried between two biplanes (149). A great imaginative lark!