The Animal Story Book

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

The Animal Story Book

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

Andrew Lang's eighth Fairy Book offers a delightful collection of 65 animal tales, blending folklore, history, and natural observation. From the clever tricks of monkeys to the tragic loyalty of dogs, these stories celebrate the intelligence and emotions of the animal kingdom with a warm, moralistic tone.

Summary up to 500 words

Andrew Lang's *The Animal Story Book* serves as a treasury of narratives exploring the lives, behaviors, and fates of various creatures, blending natural history with moral instruction. The volume opens with a preface acknowledging that while tales are often attributed to famous authors like Alexandre Dumas or Pliny, they are presented as 'more or less' true stories intended to teach kindness to all animals. The collection features a diverse array of subjects, beginning with 'Tom,' an artist's bear named Tom who performs tricks at a Paris carnival, showcasing the animal's grace and intelligence. Another segment, 'Monkey Tricks,' details the social structures of monkey tribes, their ability to reason, and the specific talents of a trained monkey named Sally, who could perform complex tasks like sorting straws and mimicking human drinking styles. The narrative shifts to historical accounts in 'How The Cayman Was Killed,' where naturalist Charles Waterton captures a reptile in South America, and 'The Dog of Montargis,' a historical tale of canine bravery. Emotional depth is explored in 'The Story Of Fido,' where a spaniel mourns his master after execution, refusing food until he dies at the grave. Similarly, 'The Story Of A Frog' and tales of Highland dogs highlight the profound bonds between humans and beasts. The book also includes natural history observations, such as the construction of marmot burrows used by owls and the hunting habits of eagles. Throughout, the stories emphasize that animals possess reason, memory, and feelings comparable to humans, urging readers to treat them with compassion. The volume concludes with a variety of shorter anecdotes about birds, fish, and other beasts, reinforcing the central theme that the animal world is full of worthy friends and fascinating adventures.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/andrew-lang_animal-story-book.epub

Local file path

data/epubs/url-5983f2f0533c347e.epub

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Downloaded at

2026-07-01 00:31 UTC

Categories

• Children's Literature