The Lion Named Eli

In the collection of the famous American children's writer, screenwriter, and animator at Walt Disney Studios Bill Peet (1915–2002), there are three fairy tales: “The Bold Plan of Sneaky Piskly,” “The Lion Named Eli,” and “Big Edwin.” The Grim Slaughter was coming - so the forest inhabitants called the hunt. In the ravine by the Crooked Pine, the Council of Beasts gathered. Everyone hoped that a clever one would come up with a brilliant rescue plan. But this did not happen, and the animals decided that each would flee from the hunter's bullet alone, as best as they could. And for some of them, the next day could very well be their last if it weren't for the brave little mosquito named Sneaky Piskly, whom no one wanted to listen to at first… In the dedication to this book, Bill Peet wrote: “To my little friends who love to play war. I hope that as you grow up, you will stop enjoying this activity. Because real weapons with real bullets really do kill.” In a distant land called Ngumbazania, there lived a lion named Eli. For a long time, he was the terror of the savannah, and the best pieces always went to him.

But the years took their toll; the lion grew old and could now only settle for scraps in the company of vultures. The loud, messy scavengers terribly irritated Eli. He could not even imagine that one day he would call them his friends. His happy childhood ended when the rabbit Edwin began to grow not by days but by hours. His home burrow became too small for him, and his parents, shedding tears, sent their beloved son into the thick forest, where such a giant could only hide. But even there, Edwin found no refuge, barely escaping from owls, foxes, and weasels. And for the farmers, he turned out to be a desired catch; they chased the giant rabbit across the fields until winter. But, as is known, the world is not without kind people. One farmer, to whom the unfortunate Edwin crept into the barn to warm up, took the poor fellow in. And in spring, he thought of such an activity for him that Edwin became famous throughout the district.

Bill Peet is one of those wise and subtle storytellers who know how to cheerfully and without excessive moralizing awaken kind feelings in readers. Each character is endowed by Bill Peet with bright individuality, expressive mimicry, and special expressiveness, so that the heroes on the pages of his books seem to come alive, as in a real cartoon. The book is intended for reading aloud to children aged 4 and older, to jointly view pictures and discuss.