Reynard the Fox: A New Translation

Comfortable fit. Perfect sizing. Dries quickly.

This translation does a fine job of making the Reynard cycle more understandable for today's readers. The liturgical allusions and dark humour are on full display, without any censorship or appeals to the politically correct. The language is largely successful in blending modern parlance--often to explain medieval artifacts, or turns of phrase scarcely known to contemporary readers--with the quirky structure of non-standard medieval English. There are issues of word choice here and there, and some expository addendums rob the funnier passages of their original punch. But these are minor gripes; the content makes no apologies to the norms of our time, and the dry, callous humour of the original is preserved well. My only sticking complaint is the price--given that this is a fairly easy read (though with pleasing illustrations and a high-quality printing), I would have preferred a price of $15-$19.99, rather than $27 (Cdn). Regardless, this is a must-read for 21st century fans of medieval mischief.

... But still a great book, a modern translation of the most famous animal tale of the middle ages. Reynard is the anti- hero par excellence. I recommend the great analysis of Jacques le Goff ( Héros et Merveilles du Moyen Age) on the meaning and reinterpretations of the myth of the "cunning fox".

A powerful and interesting set of stories.