The Fables of Avianus

by Avianus and Robinson Ellis

Book Overview

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801846846
• ISBN13: 9780801846847
• Release Date: November 1993
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.8" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

Fun witty translation

Avianus's fables are retellings of the fables of Babrius's fables which are part of the Aesop and Indic fable tradition. Zipes' forward provides a very short history of the fable tradition. The translated by Slavitt is brilliant - the translation is loose in a way that translates the irony of the original. The fables as great fun to read - never the heavily preachy tone that often appears in translations. Here you will meet Charlie the Tuna; you'll find the crabby crab mother lecturing "Why can't you look where you're going, go where you're looking, pick up your feet, put your best foot forward, try a little harder, stand up straight, pay attention, put yourself sometines in the other person's shoes, ..." If you can't have fun with this collection of fables, don't be such a sourpuss, look on the bright side, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed? ...