Reynard the Fox

by Selina Shirley Hastings, Graham Percy (Illustrator)

A retelling of the various adventures and schemes of the lying, cheating, and cowardly Reynard

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals

76 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Lady Selina Shirley Hastings is a British journalist, author and biographer.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

British author Selina Hastings, who has adapted such classic works as Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales , as well as two Arthurian legends - Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - for children, here turns to another work of medieval literature. Basing her retelling of this medieval beast epic upon the very first translation into English - William Caxton's 1481 The History of Reynard the Fox - she offers up a story that uses new language and form, but retains the narrative super-structure of the original. As she puts it, "the basic plot remains unaltered, as do the animal characters in all their kindness, cruelty, trickiness and charm." Here we have all the major incidents of the history of Reynard, his mistreatment of the other animals, his treachery toward both friend and foe, and his great rhetorical skill, in getting himself out of trouble, when charged with various crimes in the court of the lion king...

First published in 1990, Selina Hastings' Reynard the Fox was one of the most contemporary Reynard retellings that I read, in the course of my research for my masters dissertation on three centuries of children's retellings of this tale in the Anglophone world. I believe that only Alain Vaës' 1994 Reynard the Fox postdated it, when it comes to the various retellings I examined. It's quite interesting to see how the editorial amendments of prior generations - the Victorians, and then the early 20th-century authors - are not kept up here. Hastings has great respect for her source material, and reproduces the original story, complete with Reynard's treachery, his non-repentance, and his eventual triumph. Leaving that aside, this is just a well-told, well-illustrated little volume - humorous, entertaining, and ultimately thought-provoking. Hastings claims in her introduction that Reynard dates back to Roman times, and to Aesop's 'Fable of the Sick Lion.' Whatever one makes of that claim, there can be no doubt that she has produced a Reynard well worth seeking out!

[LobsterQuadrille · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've heard of the medieval Reynard stories before, and enjoyed Stravinsky's musical adaptation, but this was my first time reading any of these tales. This children's adaptation, retold by Selina Shirley Hastings and nicely illustrated by Graham Percy, was a good introduction to the strange and satirical world of Reynard the fox.
Reynard is a charming but incurable ne'er-do-well who is always arousing the ire of his fellow animals, as he habitually murders and steals from them. As dark a subject as this is for a children's adaptation, Selina Shirley Hastings managed to keep it comparatively tame without dumbing the story down. Still, it's probably not the best book for easily frightened children.
There are also some hints of social satire in the story, mostly seen in the extremely fickle King and in his boot-licking courtiers, who try to ingratiate themselves to Reynard whenever he happens to be in the King's favor. This is the kind of retelling that manages to hold some appeal for both children and adults.

As a side note, it's interesting to see how Disney's 1973 "Robin Hood"(which was influenced in part by the Reynard tales) shows a few similarities to this story. Both have foxes as the protagonist(though Robin Hood is of course a hero), a lion as the king, a loyal badger sidekick(Grimbard in Reynard and Friar Tuck in "Robin Hood"), a bear(Bruin and Little John), and an intimidating wolf as a side character(Isegrim and the "Honorable" Sheriff of Nottingham).

As interesting as it was to finally read about Reynard, I would like to find one of the longer books about him and read that, since this book seems to be just a small taste of the vulpine trickster's adventures.

[Octavia Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe that this is based on a longer piece by Goethe; I haven't read that yet but it's on my list. This adaptation is basically a fable-type story of the clever but vicious fox outwitting all the other animals. I have to say, though, Reynard would come across as cleverer if those other animals weren't all moronic in the extreme; the lion, in particular, is outstandingly stupid.

It does have some bright, pretty illustrations though.

[Cara Dore]

Title: Reynard the Fox
Author: Selina Hastings
Illustrator: Graham Percy
Genre: Fable, Picture Book
Theme(s): Trickery, Trust

Opening line/sentence: The shadow of Reynard the Fox had fallen across the lives of all the animals.

Brief Book Summary: The book begins with all the other animals reporting to the King Lion that Reynard (which translates to “fox” in French) is a thief and a killer. Reynard then ‘outfoxes’ Bruin the Bear, Tibert the Cat, Grimbard the Badger, and even the King with his clever tricks so he never gets punished for his crimes. The King calls for a duel between Reynard and Isegrim the wolf to determine the fate of the fox which Reynard wins due to his slick and nimble nature. Though all the other animals make an about face and try to mend their relationships with the now-powerful fox, Reynard himself realizes that all that flattery is worthless compared to the threat of losing his life and his family.

Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, 1991)
Basing her retelling of this traditional European story about an impenitent trickster on Caxton's 1481 translation, Hastings retains its medieval flavor in her details (Reynard, claiming to have reformed, "has given away all his wealth, and spends hours a day on his knees in penance for his sins"). Beginning with a scene in which Reynard's neighbor animals voice their complaints against him, she recounts three unsuccessful attempts to bring the miscreant to justice in the halls of King Lion. Like Hastings's carefully honed text, Percy's illustrations have an apparent simplicity that disguises their considerable subtlety. His soft color-pencil drawings almost appear to be in coloring-book style, yet they are beautifully structured; the characters are lively and have extraordinarily expressive faces, and the setting is skillfully evoked, both in the many details and in the animals' demeanor--they would be equally at home in a Chaucerian tale. A fine, accessible edition in lengthy picture-book format, to share aloud or use as a young reader. 1991, Tambourine/Morrow, $16.95; PLB $16.88. Starred Review. © 1991 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
(PUBLISHER: Tambourine Books (New York:), PUBLISHED: 1991.)

Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Betsy Hearne (The Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books, July/August 1991 (Vol. 44, No. 11))
After briefly introducing the fox's fabled cunning, Hastings turns a practised hand to retelling William Caxton's version about the trickster's surviving an entire animal kingdom's complaints to Lion--who turns out to be the ultimate dupe. The narrative style acquires tongue-in-cheek gravity as first one messenger and then another, one trial after the next, ploy upon ploy, all reflect the political shenanigans of a medieval court. Percy's straight-faced, innocent, color-pencil drawings rely entirely on the ironic context--and a few telling details, such as the graphic motif of generously strewn chicken feathers--to convey Reynard's incurable wickedness, which includes a playful penchant for biting off the heads of unwary fowl. With intelligent adaptations of Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady (BCCB 11/85) and The Canterbury Tales (BCCB 11/88) to her credit, Hastings may soon be canonized by cultural literacists. Read this one aloud as an elaboration of Aesop, a comparison with Coyote, and a contrast to Brer Fox. Review Code: R -- Recommended. Curricular Use: Storytelling. (c) Copyright 1991, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 1991, Tambourine, 76p, $16.88 and $16.95. Grades 3-5.
(PUBLISHER: Tambourine Books (New York:), PUBLISHED: 1991.)

Response to Two Professional Reviews:
I agree with the professional reviews that Hastings’ book of a retelling of a classic fable retains a medieval quality, giving it charm. Both reviews comment that this is a retelling of William Caxton’s tale, but I think it is important to note that it is not just Caxton who used the the trickster fox in fables; Reynard is an immensely popular character from several influential classical authors. Neither review comments on the brutality of the crimes Reynard commits, which was surprising. I think children can handle the book (after all, they are animals and the pictures are not gory), but the violence Reynard inflicts and gets away with is a topic to be addressed with students.

Evaluation of Literary Elements:
Many characters’ names are translations of what type of animal they are, which portrays Hastings’ research and careful consideration of characters. Graham Percy’s illustrations are very expressive, which helps readers to predict what kind of character each animal will be. The book leaves the reader off on a cliff-hanger, creating suspense and sparking predictions for what could happen in a sequel to this book.

Consideration of Instructional Application:
Students could each choose a different animal (get creative!) that they are going to personalize with character traits. I would create a demo version of Reynard the fox, listing his qualities (quick, clever, trickster, etc.) on the back of my project. Then, I would have the students partner up randomly and write a collaborative story about what might happen if their two characters met in reality. They could share with the class and match up again.

[Warty Goblin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful little scamp. Great illustrations to match.