1923 Fables in Silhouette. Bess Bruce Cleaveland. Chicago: Ideal School Supply Co. Printed in the USA. $15 from goldmtmercantile through Ebay, Feb., '20.
This is a slightly oversized envelope containing one 11" x 13" page of twelve designs in silhouette with comments under each about constructing the scene. Then there are twelve 9" x 12" black-backed pages of cutout figures, a page for each fable scene. Since both the envelope and the design-page are larger than my flatbed scanner, they presented a challenge. I hope to improve upon my first efforts in a long time at image-stitching!
1996 Fables from India: Interactive CD-ROM:Timeless Classics from "The Panchatantra," The World's Most Ancient Collection of Children's Stories. Narrated by Ravishankar. Various visual artists. New Delhi: Padmini Multimedia Limited.
A delightful CD-ROM featuring five good stories with about five to ten screens each. After a portion of the story is read--in delightful British overseas accent--for that screen, a viewer can play with its characters: frogs catch flies when clicked on, lizards crawl across rocks, skeletons come out of caves and dance. The last frame of each story is a moral little song. There is often a nice finishing phase to a scene when the viewer clicks to go on to the following episode. The beginning presents the usual Panchatantra beginning, since the king is worried about his three lazy sons, and a minister promises to educate them through fables in 180 days. "Friends Become Foes" is the basic Kalila and Dimna story, with Raaja the lion, Sanjeet the bull, and Daama the cunning minister. "The Monkey's Curiosity" is familiar: Mangu gets his leg caught in the cleft left by the carpenter's wedge. "The Lion and the Rabbit" has perhaps the best scene in the video as animals disappear into the lion's cave, we hear only the sound of munching, and bones are thrown out. A pig even prompts a belch! This story uses a river for the lion's reflection in place of the usual well. "The Two Bed Bugs" does not include a louse; Vispa and Dannu both get away after Dannu carelessly bites the king before he is asleep. "The Two Friends" is about Papu and Darmu, whom I first met as Straight and Sneaky. This is one of the easiest CD-ROMs I have worked with, and one of the most enjoyable for its interactivity. Beware: pressing escape exits the whole program.
1996 Fables from India: Interactive CD-ROM:Timeless Classics from "The Panchatantra," The World's Most Ancient Collection of Children's Stories. Narrated by Ravishankar. Various visual artists. New Delhi: Padmini Multimedia Limited.
A delightful CD-ROM featuring five good stories with about five to ten screens each. After a portion of the story is read--in delightful British overseas accent--for that screen, a viewer can play with its characters: frogs catch flies when clicked on, lizards crawl across rocks, skeletons come out of caves and dance. The last frame of each story is a moral little song. There is often a nice finishing phase to a scene when the viewer clicks to go on to the following episode. The beginning presents the usual Panchatantra beginning, since the king is worried about his three lazy sons, and a minister promises to educate them through fables in 180 days. "Friends Become Foes" is the basic Kalila and Dimna story, with Raaja the lion, Sanjeet the bull, and Daama the cunning minister. "The Monkey's Curiosity" is familiar: Mangu gets his leg caught in the cleft left by the carpenter's wedge. "The Lion and the Rabbit" has perhaps the best scene in the video as animals disappear into the lion's cave, we hear only the sound of munching, and bones are thrown out. A pig even prompts a belch! This story uses a river for the lion's reflection in place of the usual well. "The Two Bed Bugs" does not include a louse; Vispa and Dannu both get away after Dannu carelessly bites the king before he is asleep. "The Two Friends" is about Papu and Darmu, whom I first met as Straight and Sneaky. This is one of the easiest CD-ROMs I have worked with, and one of the most enjoyable for its interactivity. Beware: pressing escape exits the whole program.
1996 Fables from India: Interactive CD-ROM:Timeless Classics from "The Panchatantra," The World's Most Ancient Collection of Children's Stories. Narrated by Ravishankar. Various visual artists. New Delhi: Padmini Multimedia Limited.
A delightful CD-ROM featuring five good stories with about five to ten screens each. After a portion of the story is read--in delightful British overseas accent--for that screen, a viewer can play with its characters: frogs catch flies when clicked on, lizards crawl across rocks, skeletons come out of caves and dance. The last frame of each story is a moral little song. There is often a nice finishing phase to a scene when the viewer clicks to go on to the following episode. The beginning presents the usual Panchatantra beginning, since the king is worried about his three lazy sons, and a minister promises to educate them through fables in 180 days. "Friends Become Foes" is the basic Kalila and Dimna story, with Raaja the lion, Sanjeet the bull, and Daama the cunning minister. "The Monkey's Curiosity" is familiar: Mangu gets his leg caught in the cleft left by the carpenter's wedge. "The Lion and the Rabbit" has perhaps the best scene in the video as animals disappear into the lion's cave, we hear only the sound of munching, and bones are thrown out. A pig even prompts a belch! This story uses a river for the lion's reflection in place of the usual well. "The Two Bed Bugs" does not include a louse; Vispa and Dannu both get away after Dannu carelessly bites the king before he is asleep. "The Two Friends" is about Papu and Darmu, whom I first met as Straight and Sneaky. This is one of the easiest CD-ROMs I have worked with, and one of the most enjoyable for its interactivity. Beware: pressing escape exits the whole program.
1849 Fables de La Fontaine: Recueil de croquis composé et dessiné par Seurre Ainé. Bernard Gabriel Seurre, lithography by Victor Adam. Hardbound. Paris: Bance Editeur. €340 from Antiquariaat De Keerkring, Malden, Netherlands, Jan., ‘25.
“Collection of Sketches.” Seurre Ainé was a pen name for Bernard Gabriel Seurre. This massive book – 22¼” x 15” and over 17 pounds in weight – is the loving creation of Harry J. Hendriks at Antiquariaat De Keerkring in Malden, Netherlands. He mentioned that it cost him €150 to have it skillfully rebound. And skillfully rebound it is! Between its covers, after a title-page, is the complete set of 96 sketches. Their style is eminently “classical,” with half-naked figures dressed in Greek clothing and surrounded by classical architecture. Each sketch has a fable title from La Fontaine at its top, a short selection of the fable’s verse under the illustration, with a small serial number just below the picture. Among the best for me are 2W (8-9); “Teacher and Drowning Child” (10); CW (15); MSA (16-20); “Ass and Lapdog” (28); “Eye of the Master” (38); “Old Woman and Two Servants” (44-46); “Young Widow” (59-61); MM (64-65); “Cobbler and Banker” (69-72); and “Gardener and Bear” (74). This is a wonderful, unique addition to the collection!
