Reynard the Fox

Reynard, a cunning fox from medieval East Flanders, is summoned to the court of King Noble the Lion for crimes and misdemeanours. He must outwit his accusers, including Bruin the Bear, Courtoys the Hound, and Isengrim the Wolf, to escape the gallows. Reynard's character has been a popular and beloved figure in European folklore for centuries, speaking for the unvoiced and disenfranchised while amusing and delighting the elite. This edition of the Reynard story is an imaginative retelling with themes of protest, resistance, and duplicity, making it relevant and controversial today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 480 pages
Publication date: 16 October 2020
Publisher: Bodleian Library

Reynard, a mischievous, dashing, anarchic, aristocratic fox from the watery lowlands of medieval East Flanders, finds himself in a precarious situation. Summoned to the court of King Noble the Lion, he stands accused of a multitude of crimes and misdemeanors. How will he outwit his accusers – the greedy Bruin the Bear, the pretentious Courtoys the Hound, or the sinister Isengrim the Wolf – and avoid the gallows? Once upon a time, Reynard was the most beloved and iconic character in European folklore, standing alongside Robin Hood, King Arthur, and Cinderella. His character spoke eloquently for the voiceless and marginalized, while also entertaining and captivating the elite, transcending borders and societal classes for centuries. Based on William Caxton's renowned 1481 English translation of the Middle Dutch text, this edition offers a fresh and imaginative retelling of the Reynard story. With its themes of protest, resistance, and deceit, portrayed through the captivating persona of a relatable, anti-heroic Fox navigating a treacherous and cruel world, this gripping tale remains as relevant and thought-provoking today as it was in the fifteenth century.

Weight: 748g
Dimension: 156 x 207 x 47 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781851245550