viii REYNARD THE FOX

Cole, of South Kensington fame, in his earlier
days made an attempt to reform children’s
books, and may be regarded as the precursor
of their improved position to-day. Under the
name of ‘“ Felix Summerley” he produced a
number of children’s books, well printed, well
written, and tolerably illustrated, which some
of us remember as the chief treasures of
our youth. Among these was a version of
Reynard—mostly adapted from Caxton’s—
which I found, with some slight alteration,
could easily be adapted for my present purpose,
and, in the main, the text of the present
book is a resuscitation of “ Felix Summerley’s”
version.

As regards Introduction and Notes, I have
attempted to give the adult reader a condensed
account of the latest results about the origin of
this interesting and characteristic product of the
Middle Ages. Much has been done during
the present century to clear up the many

obscurities attaching to Reynard the Fox, which