Creighton University

"With beautiful pictures and fascinated, fine stories."  Here is a large-format pamphlet of 16 pages presenting fourteen fables in long prose versions.  There are some surprises in the versions and characters.  The sparrow warns not against lime but against all trees because people can hunt birds in trees (11).  The “sensible ass” has become a buffalo here.  What was about a fox and eagle in Aesop is here about a dog and eagle.  After the eagle has eaten the puppies, “God Almighty” gets revenge by having sparks from a nearby fire burn the nest and the eagle’s young.  Not a fly or mosquito but ants attack a buffalo, specifically in his eyes.  On 9, we find both “direction” and “direcion.”  There is a good turn in the version of “The Horse and Soldier” on 16: The war horse who has worked the farm and is now asked to return to being a war horse responds “You have turned me in to a donkey.”  The art is predictable.  This was a surprising find in a used book shop with a wide variety of offerings!

"With beautiful pictures and fascinated, fine stories."  Here is a large-format pamphlet of 16 pages presenting thirteen fables in long prose versions.  At least five are traditional fables.  The elephant teaches the lion about fearing small animals.  We learn why bats have friends neither among birds or beasts.  GA is told in a harsh version that has the ant yelling to the grasshopper “Your recklessnes [sic] is going to cost your life.”  The bitch and her litter take over her hostess’ home.  The rabbit uses the moon in the lake to protect against elephants.  There are also fable motifs, as when “The Oversmart Fox” mimics “The Gardener and the Bear.”  “Timely Help” reverses Gay’s fable about the failure of all friends, since an eagle rescues him in the nick of time.  For me the final story, which also has a fable motif, is the most engaging; it also is featured on the cover.  The lion agrees to have himself tied to a tree while the human claims to go off to get his “intelligence” to share it with the beast.  “I think I brought my intelligence with me” leads to picking up a stick to beat the animal.  Luckily, he gets free and never returns.