The Barefoot Book of Animal Tales From Around the World

Abstract

Originally published as a hardbound book by Dial in the USA in 1996. The stories are from a good variety of cultures. Perhaps the most imposing illustration is that of Tilladick the giant frog sleeping after he has drunk up all the water in the world (32-33). Another prize goes to the illustration on 59 of the supposedly sick crocodile king being visited by the crocodile friendly with the monkey. See also the lovely two-page spread of Sedna, the Mother of the Sea on 70-71. There are several traditional fables included here. Never Trust a Pelican (48) is the Kalila and Dimna story of the aging pelican who lets himself, as it were, be prevailed upon to ferry fish to a safer lake. It is labeled here as a Thai story. Here the pelican carries the fish and then the crab in his beak; this twist makes the crab's attack on the pelican harder to picture. The Monkey's Heart (56) is another perennial fable; in this version it is the crocodile king who claims that he needs a monkey's heart to recover from his illness. The Musicians of Bremen (38) is also included here. The art is primitive, engaging, and colorful.