The History of Reynard the Fox

What It's About

Reynard the Fox is a medieval beast fable set in a kingdom of animals ruled by the lion King Noble. Reynard, a cunning and unscrupulous fox, is summoned to court to answer charges brought against him by a host of aggrieved animals — the wolf Isengrim, the bear Bruin, the cat, the hare, and many others — all of whom he has wronged through theft, trickery, and outright cruelty. Rather than face justice, Reynard deploys flattery, false confession, invented treasure, and brazen lies to escape punishment time and again, repeatedly outwitting those sent to bring him in. The tale is a sharp satirical comedy in which roguery triumphs over rank, and cleverness beats force at every turn.

Beneath the animal disguise lies a pointed critique of medieval society — corrupt clergy, gullible nobility, and the ease with which power is manipulated by those with a quick tongue and no conscience.

About the Author

Willem die Madoc maecte was a Flemish poet of the thirteenth century, known only by the name embedded in his own text. Little is recorded of his life; he is identified solely through the verse epilogue of the Dutch poem Van den vos Reynaerde, where he names himself as the author.

About This Edition

This is an 1889 edition by Henry Morley, based on the 1481 translation by William Caxton.