Tales of Labulé

Édouard René Lefèvre de Labulé (1811–1883) was a French writer, lawyer, and public figure. He was born in Paris and received a good education. In 1849, he became a professor at the Collège de France — a Parisian educational institution that offered free lecture courses to students but did not issue degrees. There, Labulé taught legal studies while also engaging in scientific work. In his scholarly and journalistic articles, he highlighted the history of law and expressed his views on the necessary political structure of the state. Labulé was a devoted supporter of the idea of a free society. In 1865, after the end of the Civil War in the United States, during a conversation with sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, he proposed to create a monument symbolizing victory over slavery — the Statue of Liberty; now it is one of the main attractions of modern New York. Labulé sought to implement his political ideas in practice. In 1870, he was elected as a deputy of the National Assembly of France, and later, in 1875, he became a life senator. He was also the chairman of the French Society for the Fight Against Slavery and president of the Society of Political Economy. Besides his political activities, Labulé was interested in poetry and literature. His poetic and prose works were well received by his contemporaries; they continue to be in demand among readers to this day. He is especially known for his collection of fairy tales based on folk motifs. It has been translated into various languages of the world and has been reissued multiple times. These texts are presented in this edition. Fifteen remarkable magical tales will tell readers about unprecedented wonders, fantastic creatures, and delightful places. The tales of the collection are adorned with wonderful illustrations by the talented English artist Arthur Augustus Dixon (1872–1959).

The future illustrator was born in London and showed extraordinary drawing abilities from childhood. His first exhibitions took place when Arthur was still a youth. At the age of twenty-four, he presented his works at the Royal Academy of Arts and the Royal Society of Arts. Dixon gained public recognition and became famous far beyond his native London. His works have illustrated numerous pieces by classics of world literature, such as Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Elizabeth Gaskell, and Washington Irving. The drawings he created for Labulé's texts are characterized by a unique style, rich detail, and correspond to the fairy-tale spirit of the narrative.