Wrypoliticalfairytalesfromanineteenth-centurypoliticianthatspeaktoourcurrenttimes?douardLaboulaye(1811-1883),oneofnineteenth-centuryFrance’smostprominentpoliticiansandaninstrumentalfigureinestablishingtheStatueofLiberty,wasalsoaprolificwriteroffairytales.Smack-Bam,orTheArtofGoverningMenbringstogethersixteenofLaboulaye’smostartfulstoriesinnewtranslations.Filledwithbitingsocialcommentaryandstrongnotionsofsocialjustice,theserediscoveredtalescontinuetoimpartlessonstoday.InspiredbyfolktalesfromsuchplacesasEstonia,Germany,Iceland,andItaly,Laboulaye’sdeceptivelyentertainingstoriesexploretherelationshipsbetweensocietyandtherulingclass.In“BriamtheFool,“theherorefusesthequeen’shandafterhekillstheking.In“ZerbinotheBumpkin,“thekingandprimeministerareidiots,whiletheking’sdaughterrunsawaywithawoodcuttertoanenchantedisland.Andinthetitlestory,“Smack-Bam,orTheArtofGoverningMen,“asuperficialprinceisschooledbyamiddle-classwomanwhosmackshimwhenhewon’tengageinhislessonsandfollowshimacrossEuropeuntilhefallsinlovewithher.Intheseworlds,shallowaristocratscometovalueliberty,womenareasassertiveandintelligentasmen,andprotagonistsexperiencecompassionastheylearnofhumansuffering.Withanintroductionbyleadingfairy-talescholarJackZipesthatplacesLaboulaye’swritinginhistoricalcontext,Smack-Bam,orTheArtofGoverningMenpresentsspiritedtalesfromthepastthatspeaktocontemporarylife.
