The Cunning Little Vixen

Juxtaposing a world of not-so-innocent animals and a world of humans, scarcely more intelligent or less brutal, this first translation of the Czech novel recounts the story of the forester Bartos and the vixen Sharp-Ears

First published in 1920, this hugely popular Czech tale is only now translated into English, though it has long been familiar to Americans through the Leos Janacek opera based on it. The eponymous vixen is trapped by a forester and raised for a time in his home, where she adapts for her own needs the ways of humans and their house pets. All her basest instincts are sharpened: she kills fowl less to feed her body than her pride; she flatters adoring young males for personal gain and leaves them heart-broken; she mouths church litany to allay the suspicions of woodland critics. But when a handsome young fox takes a shine to her, she is as defenseless as a schoolgirl, risking notoriety for the joys of sex. In other words, animals are neither better nor worse than humans, neither more nor less hypocritical, greedy and self-serving. That the whimsy is heavy-handed and the little vixen far from endearing may be the fault of the translation. Except in those passages where the beauty of the Bohemian landscape is evoked, the language is pedestrian and the dialogue filled with locutions difficult to utter in any tongue. But since fables and fairy tales have delighted generations of readers, this one will probably prove no exception, especially since Sendak's illustrations add enchantment and an implicit commentary: the humans are depicted as drab and dour, the denizens of the animal and insect worlds, as charming and fey. 50,000 first printing. November
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Long a favorite in Czechoslovakia, The Cunning Little Vixen is probably known here only to music lovers familiar with Janacek's opera. The story starts when forester Bartos captures vixen Sharp-Ears and bring her home to raise as a pet for his family. Mischievous Sharp-Ears, however, can't stop causing trouble; punished, she escapes vowing revenge. Her revenge takes various forms, including repeated raids on the chicken coop and a hilarious foray into the forester's pantry. Finally she settles down with a mate in the forest. Illustrations by Maurice Sendak, who designed the New York City Opera production of Janacek's opera, add considerable charm. An amusing tale that may appeal to animal lovers, opera lovers, and those interested in European literature. Beth Ann Mills, New Rochelle P.L., N.Y.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.