IVAN THE FOOL AND OTHER TALES OF LEO TOLSTOY

The book includes seven short stories by Loe Tolstoy, selected and translated by Guy Daniels who also did 15 Fables of Krylov. The first story is A Prisoner in the Caucasus, which tells vividly of a Russian officer's capture by the Tatars because of his companion's weakness and foolishness, and of his eventual escape, and the last is God Sees the Truth but is in no Hurry to Reveal It, both of which Tolstoy considered his best works and which are outstanding examples of master storytelling. The others are all of lesser significance- The Bear Hunt tells an exciting episode of a hunter who becomes the prey of a bear, but the rest, including A Story for Children (translated here for the first time) reflect Tolstoy's belief that children's tales should set simple moral examples and are old-fashioned parables reflecting and simplifying his social theories. The translation is superior, and brings out the outstanding narrative quality of the stories.