Comments on: Dragon's Feathers

Dragon's Feathers

homunculus — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:31:20 -0800

Les plumes du dragon. A storybook in French by Andrej and Olga Dugin. [Via MONSTER BRAINS.]

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:34:58 -0800

Once upon a time, we discussed posting links in foreign languages and seemed to be cool with it. I'm assuming enough people here can read French to make this worthwhile.

By: maryh

maryh — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 00:37:35 -0800

The illustrations are remarkable. Can you give a condensed version of the story?

By: misteraitch

misteraitch — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:08:16 -0800

Seems like the text of the book was written by Arnica Esterl, with the Dugins providing the (very lovely) illustrations. There's an English edition too: The Dragon's Feathers—I just ordered a copy. maryh—there's a very brief synopsis here: the story of the poor wood-cutter's son, who has to pull out three golden feathers from the dragon in the big forest before he is allowed to ask for the had of the pretty landlord's daughter.

By: misteraitch

misteraitch — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:11:18 -0800

Presumably that should read hand rather than had; and landlord's pretty daughter rather than pretty landlord's daughter.

By: adamvasco

adamvasco — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:56:45 -0800

Not Landlordist.

By: peacay

peacay — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:01:45 -0800

There is another series of excellent Dugin illustrations from a Russian edition of 'The Adventures of Abi' (2004) also in the kidpix vaults (and also via Monster Brains from a year ago)

By: greytape

greytape — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:54:19 -0800

Dragons, is there anything they can't do? Wonderfully creepy stuff, thanks.

By: matematichica

matematichica — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:52:02 -0800

That was beautiful. There's apparently an English translation available at Amazon marketplace but the price is a bit steep. Aside from the illustrations, the story is fascinating. The title page says it's based on a traditional tale, and the whole thing has a familiar feel. I'm particularly intrigued, though, by the presence/absence of Christianity. First, there's the bit about the fixing of the golden apple tree--all they have to do is get rid of its infesting snake, with seems reasonably grounded in biblical traditions. On the other hand, curing the old man's daughter involves removing the consecrated host from under her bed, which seems to fall on the other side of that coin. And I don't really know what to make of the ferryman.

By: fire&wings

fire&wings — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:55:17 -0800

Those illustrations remind me of the work of Peter Cross in "Trouble for Trumpets." Only nowhere near as good - the illustrations in Trouble for Trumpets and are truly breathtaking, amongst the best children's book illustrations of all time. Criminal that his work isn't available online (the books are long out of print.)

By: homunculus

homunculus — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:09:32 -0800

How to Kill a Dragon.

By: matematichica

matematichica — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 19:38:30 -0800

Thanks, homunculus, I'm putting that on my library list.