Judge Rabbit and the Tree Spirit, a folktale from Cambodia

Judge Rabbit solves the problem of a mischievous tree spirit who has taken on human form.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Brer Rabbit has a clever Cambodian counterpart in Judge Rabbit, a wise yet often mischievous hare who deals directly with people, solving their problems, and sometimes playing tricks on them. In this particular folktale, told in English and Khmer, a young husband must leave his new wife at the king's request to fight enemy invaders. Pausing in his march to war to rest under a banyan tree, he turns back three times, but finally chooses duty over love. Now within that tree dwells a spirit, who decides to see just what the man has left behind. Discovering a beautiful but sad wife, he decides to make her--and himself--happy by changing shape to look exactly like her husband. All goes well until the woman's husband returns. Who is the real husband? Shrewd Judge Rabbit comes up with the solution, which sees the grateful couple reunited and the tree spirit succumbing to his own vanity. Stylized floral borders enclose the English text on the left; vibrant primitive-style pictures, with flora and fauna fanciful yet realistic, appear with the much smaller Khmer text on the right. The illustrations, done in silkscreen, watercolor, and colored pencil, capture the feel of Cambodian life and leave the impression of elaborate Southeast Asian stitchery. However, the human figures and the tree spirit are sometimes awkwardly rendered, and it is unfortunate the blocks of Khmer text had to be placed within the illustrations. The story itself is neither as appealing a tale nor as lively a retelling as the Judge Rabbit folktale found in UNESCO's Folk Tales from Asia for Children Everywhere, Book 4 (Weatherhill, 1976; o.p.), but certainly larger folklore collections and libraries serving a Cambodian population will want it. --Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Judge Rabbit, a Cambodian folk hero, stars in this unique bilingual (English/Khmer) tale. When a woman's husband is called for military service, the jealous spirit of a banyan tree takes his human form. Believing this "man" is her husband, the wife is justifiably confused when her actual husband returns. The human husband enlists the help of Judge Rabbit, who produces a small bottle and declares that "only the true husband can fit inside this bottle." The tree spirit quickly enters the container and husband and wife are reunited. The story's universal appeal will be evident to readers even as they cheer Judge Rabbit's clever adjudication. Incorporating native flora and fauna, the bold, primitive paintings, though occasionally static, are vibrant counterpoints to the facing English text and blend the Khmer narrative into their striking design. Ages 6-12.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A young couple's peace is destroyed when the husband is commanded to join the king's defense of their country. Overhearing his sorrow, a tree spirit decides to impersonate the young man and comfort his wife. All goes well until, months later, the husband comes home and the wife finds it impossible to tell which man is her true husband. At first, the rabbit judge decrees that--since the two are indistinguishable--all three must live together. Later, he comes up with a trickier solution: only the real husband will be able to fit in a little bottle, he mendaciously alleges; the spirit quickly complies and is caught. A note explains that Judge Rabbit stories provide a role model for Cambodian children: the good judge is self-confident and intelligent, yet also gentle and kind. Children may be unaware of the implicit message, but they'll enjoy the unusual story--especially its satisfying conclusion. A plus: the Khmer text is included, nicely integrated into the bright, strongly decorative illustrations. A good picture book for any collection, with special appeal for multicultural use or with immigrant populations. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.