The Giant Crab and Other Tales From Old India – Illustrated by W. Heath Robinson

This whimsical collection of tales from Old India is based on the Buddhist collection of Jātaka Tales. However, the author confesses to ‘ruthlessly’ altering them for the amusement of children and occasionally borrowing a ‘phrase or a versicle’. He opens the book with a warning;

“To this work I refer all scholars, folklorists and scientific persons generally: warning them that if they plunge deeper into these page, they will be horribly shocked.”

These wonderful tales, originally published in 1897, are accompanied by many beautiful and intricate black and white illustrations by W. Heath Robinson. An English cartoonist and illustrator, best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines – for achieving deceptively simple objectives. Such was (and is) his fame, that the term ‘Heath Robinson’ entered the English language during the First World War, as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance.

With works such as The Giant Crab and Other Tales From Old India, Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration‘ in children’s literature – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration from the 1880s to the 1930s.

Our collection showcases classic fairy tales, children’s stories, and the work of some of the most celebrated artists, illustrators and authors.

We publish rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.

On this website, you can find out about some of our best-selling authors, illustrators, and stories. We also have a full bookshop, an introduction to the Golden Age of Illustration, and a history of the fairy tale itself.

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