From the Japanese kitsune to the medieval European Reynard, the fox often appears as a clever, mischievous character in the folk traditions of the world. Russia is no exception, as Mirra Ginsburg demonstrates in One Trick Too Many, a collection of nine brief fables and folktales devoted to this fascinating trickster figure. Here the reader will encounter:

The Red Fox and the Walking Stick, in which a wily fox manages to fool a series of peasants into giving him what he wants, until he meets up with a shepherd more clever than he...

The Fox and the Lion, in which a cunning fox convinces a lion that he, the fox, is the stronger one...

The Old Man, the Wolf and the Vixen, in which a vixen - coming upon an old man about to be eaten by a hungry wolf - intercedes, tricking the wolf and saving the man...

The Fox and the Badger, in which a fox and a badger try to decide how to split the honeycomb they have both found. Not surprisingly, the fox's suggestion that they have a dream contest, works to his advantage...

One Trick Too Many, in which a mischievous fox plays the same trick twice, and pays the price for it...

The Sly Fox, in which a fox outwits the creatures of the sea, thereby saving his own skin, only to lose an eye. Needless to say, the sly creature finds a way to turn that to his advantage...

Animal Friendship, in which a bear, a wolf and a vixen form a very brief coalition...

The Fox and the Quail, in which the quail - under threat - finds food, drink, and entertainment for the fox, until she's finally had enough...

And finally, The Vixen and her Cub, in which a mother fox glories in the realization that her child is even more cunning than she...

I enjoyed these tales, ably retold by translator Mirra Ginsburg, and found Helen Siegl's delightful woodcuts, with their red and yellow tones, a visual treat. Folklore lovers of all ages will enjoy One Trick Too Many, but fox-lovers will be especially pleased. ( )