Madame [Marie-Catherine], D*** [D’Aulnoy]. Les Conte des Fées. Paris:Claude Barbin, 1698.
This title page shows for the first time the expression “Contes des Fées” [Tales of the Fairies], which became ubiquitous as “fairytales” in English. The four tales, “Gracieuse et Percinet,” “La Belle aux Cheveux d’Or,” “ l’Oiseau Bleu,” and “Le Prince Lutin,” are illustrated by one engraved vignette on each title page. The engraver, Antoine Clouzier, also illustrated Perrault’s first edition of his Contes with were published the same year.
Mme D’Aulnoy [& Chevalier de Mailly]. Les Illustres Fées. Amsterdam: Chez Michel Rey, 1749.
The engravings in Les Illustres Fées are signed Fokke, inv[venit] et Fe[cit]. Two volumes are bound as one. The first volume is by Mme D’Aulnoy and includes: “Gracieuse et Percinet,” “La Belle aux Cheveux d’Or,” and “l’Oiseau Bleu,” “Le Prince Lutin,” :La Princesse Printaniere,” “La Princesse Rosette,” “Le Rameau d’Or,” “l’Oranger et l’Abeille,” “La Bonne Petite Souris,” The second volume begins after page 412 and includes: “Blanche Belle,” “Le Roi Magicien,” “Le Prince Roger,” “Fortunio,” “Le Pince Guerini,” “La Reine d l’Ile des Fleurs,” “Le Favoir des Fe’es,” “Quiribini,” “La Princess Couronnee par les Fées,” “L Supercherie Malheureuse,” and “L’Ile Inaccessible.”
Mme D’Aulnoy. Histoire et Aventure d’Hypolite, Comte de Duglas. Nouvelle Édition. Livre Troisieme. Paris: Chez Valleyre, 1764.
The original edition of 1691 was widely reprinted and translated. Chapter 13 tells the story of Prince Adolf of Russian and Princess Felicity. It is one of the best-known fairy tales, an example of the folktale “The Land Where No One Dies.” The story has been the subject of the Frank Capra film Lost Horizons (1937) featuring the Tibetan Lamasery [or monastery] of Shangri-la.
Text by Professor Emeritus Jacques Barchilon
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