The Moral Fables of Robert Henryson

by Robert Henryson

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Genres: Poetry, Medieval, Classics

120 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1490

About the author

Robert Henryson (1425 - 1506) was a Scottish poet who worked as a schoolmaster in the Royal Burgh of Dunfermline after studying church law at Glasgow University. His most popular works were his Scots versions of Aesop's Fables.

Counted among the Scots Makars, he was a distinctive voice in the Northern Renaissance at a time when culture was on a cusp between medieval and renaissance sensibilities.

Henryson's writing consists mainly of narrative works highly inventive in their development of story-telling techniques. He generally achieved a canny balance of humour and high seriousness which is often multi-layered in its effects. This is especially so in his Morall Fabillis, in which he expresses a consistent but complex world view that seems standard, on the surface, vis a vis the major ruling power of the church, while containing critical and questioning elements. This range is further extended in his Testament of Cresseid with its more tragic vision. Overall, his themes and tone convey an attractive impression of humanity and compassionate intellect. He was a subtle rhetorician and remains to this day one of the finest in the Scots language.

Reviews

[Clara · Rating 1 out of 5]

All I gained from reading this was the fact that every fox in every story was inexpicably referred to as Lawrence. One star is too many. Henryson why are you like this.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

never trust a fox

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

“O maister Esope, poet lawriate,
God wait ye ar full deir welcum to me.
Ar ye not he that all thir fabillis wrate
Quhilk in effect suppois thay fenyeit be,
Ar full of prudence and moralitie?”
“Fair sone,” said he, “I am the samin man.”
God wait gif that my hert wes merie than.

I said, “Esope, my maister venerabill,
I yow beseik hartlie for cheritie
Ye wald dedene to tell ane prettie fabill
Concludand with ane gude moralitie.”
Schaikand his heid, he said, “My sone, lat be
For quhat is it worth to tell ane fenyeit taill
Quhen haly preiching may nathing availl?"

[Theo Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are really fun to read!

[Abby Ang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ain't Marie de France but you're okay

[Bronte Madeleine · Rating 3 out of 5]

very mediocre but fun if you like fables and aesop