Winner of the 1979 Governor General's Award for fiction, Antonine Maillet's virtuoso creation, The Tale of Don L'Orignal, is now back in print. Maillet's tale begins one day, not so very long ago but back in the youth of the world, when a hay-covered island materialized off shore, an island populated by fleas who soon took human form. The leader of this uncouth crew of have-nots, Don l'Orignal, wore a moose-antler crown as his badge of office. At his right hand were his brave lieutenants: his son, Noume, and his general, Michel-Archange. The general's wife, the doughty charwoman, spy, and rabble-rouser La Sagouine, had one finger in every pie and one raised to her neighbour, La Sainte.
The Flea Islanders were constantly at odds with the almost as clever but far more civilized upper crust of the mainland village: the mayoress, the schoolteacher, the merchant, the banker. When they invaded and tried to steal a keg of molasses, the outcome of the mock-heroic battle was unclear, except that La Sainte's son, the hapless young Citrouille, and Adeline, the merchant's lovely daughter, had fallen in love.
With the insider's accumulation of oral history, gossip, and shrewd hindsight, Antonine Maillet has conjured up a fictional Acadia that her ancestors would relish. Perhaps those who could read it would have even understood it: she wrote Don l'Orignal in a version of 16th-century domestic French that she adapted for modern readers. In this far-fetched, but always entertaining fable, Maillet holds up a mirror to Acadian history and to an all too fallible human nature.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
On day, a hay-covered island materializes offshore, an island populated by -- is it possible? -- fleas. Watched by the lighthouse keeper, the fleas take human form: the ruler, Don l'Orignal, with his moose-antler crown; his brave lieutenants; the doughty charwoman, spy, and rabble-rouser, La Sagouine; and all their friends and relations.
Antonine Maillet's provocative and entertaining fantasy pits the clever, uncouth Flea Islanders against the almost as clever but far more civilized villagers. The unexpected outcome holds up a mirror to comical, earthy, and poignant human nature as well as to Acadian history.
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Book Description Condition: Very Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 38545427-6
Book Description Condition: Very Good. Very Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Seller Inventory # J14C-02108
Book Description Condition: Good. SHIPS FROM USA. Used books have different signs of use and do not include supplemental materials such as CDs, Dvds, Access Codes, charts or any other extra material. All used books might have various degrees of writing, highliting and wear and tear and possibly be an ex-library with the usual stickers and stamps. Dust Jackets are not guaranteed and when still present, they will have various degrees of tear and damage. All images are Stock Photos, not of the actual item. book. Seller Inventory # 25-0772012164-G
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Very Good Condition. Translated by Barbara Godard. Green binding with gilt title, author and publisher on spine 107 pp. Content clean, bright and sound. Seller Inventory # 100543
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. (Governor-General's Award, 1972) DJ has very slight wear to top tips, light wear to bottom tips, thin 1/4" tear at top front edge near spine, thin surface smudge line near bottom front left, very small rubbed spot at spine bottom, light spot near top back. Good+ DJ/Very Fine book. Seller Inventory # 10241
Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Ken Steacy (jacket) (illustrator). First Edition. 107 pages, UNillustrated, translated from the French by Barbara Godard. Signed `Bon souvenir d' Acadie' by the author on the title. READ more about : inhabitants, hell-hound, Sam Amateur, and Michel-Archasnge. Cond : Boards are green with gilt titling at spine. White end-papers. Lime green dust jacket with black lettering. Volume in all SENSES clean and square and bright. No names nor marks. D.J.rubbed at edges. Collectible !! QUote (p. 26) : " For three months the two giants had waged total war, laying traps for each other, building barricades, waiting in ambush, calling each other names, insulting ._._._. . " Size: Octavo. Signed by Author(s). Seller Inventory # 006003
Book Description Cloth. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition. 8vo. 107 pp. Translated by Barbara Godard. Seller Inventory # 7779