Aesop; Tom Paxton — Belling the Cat & Androcles and the Lion

New York, Marrow Junior Books, 1990-1991. First edition. Hardback. Two very smart first edition volumes of these illustrated and retold fables attributed to Aesop, with one volume signed by the author. Two volumes. First editions retold in verse by Tom Paxton. Androcles and the Lion is signed by the author to the title page. A collection of the fables attributed to Aesop, a Greek fabulist and storyteller noted for his tales characterized by anthropomorphic animal characters. Many of the tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. Retold in verse by Thomas Richard Paxton, an American folk singer-songwriter. Illustrated by Robert Rayevsky, a Russian-born American artist and illustrator. This set contains: Belling the Cat and Other Aesop's Fables, 1990. First printing. Including stories such as: The Night Singer, Town Mouse and Country Mouse, and Many Friends. Androcles and the Lion and Other Aesop's Fables, 1991. First printing. Including stories such as: The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, The Bald Knight, and The Tree and the Reed. Belling the Cat is bound in the original pictorial paper covered boards with Androcles the Lion being bound in the original full cloth binding. Externally, excellent. Original unclipped dust wrappers are also excellent. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean throughout. Fine . Ill.: Robert Rayevsky. Fine/Fine.