"Based on William Caxton's bestselling 1481 English translation of the Middle Dutch, this edition is an imaginative retelling of the Reynard story, expanded with new interpretations and innovative language and characterizations"--Publisher marketing.

edited by Kenneth Varty Reynard the Fox and his confrontations with other named animals were a common feature of Latin and vernacular Beast Epics throughout the medieval period.

"A collection of folktales at their absolute best" (Elizabeth Bird, SLJ.com) about a legendary scoundrel, brought to new life through Renate Raecke's lively retelling and Jonas Lauströer's expressive illustrations. Reynard the Fox has been a staple trickster character of European literature since at least the Middle Ages. The tales of his schemes have been told many times, and he always manages to win readers' sympathies. Reynard is a rascal, a ne'er-do-well. While we may suffer from his pranks, at the same time we smile at the shrewd thinking through which he escapes hopeless situations. In this expertly retold version, the classic tales of Reynard's exploits find a new life. They speak to us now as much as ever, for who among us doesn't know a Reynard-like figure in our lives?

Renard the Fox is the first modern translation into English of one of the most important and influential medieval books. Valued for its comic spirit, its high literary quality, and its clever satire of feudal society, the tale uses animals to represent the members of various classes. This lively and accessible translation will be welcomed for courses in medieval literature and history, gender studies, and humanities, and will be a treat for the general reader as well.

As he listens to a hermit recount the adventures and schemes of the wily and cunning Reynard, a king finds a solution to a troubling dilemma.