Jean de Boschère
Beasts & Men
Folk Tales Collected in Flanders and Illustrated by Jean de Bosschère
"Beasts & Men" by Jean de Boschère is a collection of folk tales collected in Flanders, likely written in the early 20th century. The work features a variety of stories that blend animal characters with human traits, offering moral lessons or humorous reflections on society through the use of allegory. At the start of the collection, the narrative introduces a parched summer that leaves the forest animals desperate for water. Master Fox and Mistress Goat embark on a search for relief and encounter a deep well. The clever but treacherous Fox devises a plan to trick the Goat into descending into the well, claiming the water is delightful. Once he has quenched his thirst, he abandons her to her fate, illustrating themes of cunning, betrayal, and the darker side of survival in a world where every creature must look out for itself.