Arthur Rackham, Anthro Artist

 The Two Sisters.  If a talking tree ain't anthropomorphic, then what is?

The Wind In The Willows, Mole, Ratty, and Toad

The Wind In The Willows, Toad Escapes Prison

Aesop's Fables, The Tortoise and the Hare

English Fairy Tales, Goldilocks and the Three Bears

By Day She Made Herself Into A Cat. 

 

 Jorinde and Joringel, Hansel and Gretel and Other Tales

 

 The Wind In The Willows, Mole and the Water Rat have a picnic.

 

 The Three Bears

A Midsummer Nights Dream, Nick Bottom.  "Hold or cut bowstrings"!

The Lion complained most sadly that a beast with such claws, teeth, and strength as he possessed, should yet be moved to a state of abject terror at the crowing of a Cock.

 “Can life be worth having ,” said he, “when so vile a creature has the power to rob it of its charms?” Just then, a huge Elephant came along, flapping his ears quickly to and fro, with an air of great concern. “What troubles you so?” said the Lion to the Elephant. “Can any mortal thing have power to harm a beast of your tremendous bulk and strength?”

 “Do you see this little buzzing Gnat?” replied the Elephant; “let him but sting the inmost recesses of my ear, and I shall go mad with pain.” 

The Lion thereupon took heart again, and determined not to let troubles, which he shared in common with all created things, blind him to what was pleasant in life.

There is always someone worse off than you are.

Little Miss Muffet

Once upon a time a Frog came forth from his home in the marshes and proclaimed to all the world that he was a learned physician, skilled in drugs and able to cure all diseases.  Among the crowd was a Fox, who called out, “You a doctor! Why, how can you set up to heal others when you cannot even cure your own lame legs and blotched and wrinkled skin?”
Physician, Heal Thyself.

Poor Cecco: The Wonderful Story of a Wonderful Wooden Dog Who was the Jolliest Toy in the House Until He Went Out of Explore the World, by Margery William Bianco, author of The Velveteen Rabbit

 

 Poor Cecco

Nick Bottom and Queen Titania, Midsummer Nights Dream

The Cat And The Mouse In Partnership

 Once upon a time there was a cat and a mouse.  They lived together. They were partners. The cat said, “Winter is coming.  It’s important to save our food. ”“Here’s a jar of fat,” said the mouse.'
“Delicious!” said the hungry cat.  The cat wanted to eat all the fat.

The mouse said “No! This fat is for the winter.  We will save it for November, December and January.”
The cat did not want to save it for winter. The cat said, “I have an idea. Leave the pot in the church. People do not steal at a church.”
“What a brilliant idea!” said the mouse.  So, the cat and the mouse went to the church. They left the pot, but the cat did not want to save the fat.  He wanted to steal the fat. He was a bad partner.
The next day, the cat said to the mouse, “Hello Mouse. I’m going to church today.  I am going for a baptism. My cousin had a baby. ”It was a lie.  The cat did not have a cousin. There was no baby and no baptism. It was an excuse to go get some fat from the pot.  The cat arrived at the church.  The happy cat went straight to the pot. 
In the pot, the fat looked delicious. The cat ate a little.  He ate a little off the top.The cat was happy.  He returned home.  The mouse said, “Cat!  How was the baptism?  What is the baby’s name?”
The cat said, “The baby is little.  His name is Little Off-the-Top.”“Little Off-the-Top?  That’s a crazy name,” said the mouse, but he did not suspect the cat.  On the second day, the cat imagined the delicious pot.  He wanted to steal more fat.  He was a bad partner.  The cat said, “Oh Mouse, I’m going to church today. Another cousin had a baby.  I want to go to the baptism.  ”So, the cat went to church. He was going to steal more fat.  He opened the pot and ate.  When he finished, there was only 1/2 a pot of fat.  The pot was half-full.  So the cat went home.“Welcome home.  How is the baby?  What is the baby’s name?” said the mouse.“Oh… the baby’s name… is…” said the cat, unsure.  “The baby’s name is Half-full.”  “Half-full?  That’s so crazy,” said the mouse, but he did not suspect the cat.

The next day, the cat wanted to steal more fat. He was a bad partner.  The cat said, “I’m going to church today.  Another cousin had a baby.  There is another baptism.”“Three babies? Three baptisms?  That is a lot!” said the mouse, but he did not suspect the cat.At the church, the cat ate and ate. Finally, there was no fat left.  The pot was all empty.When the cat arrived at home, the mouse said, “Cat, how is the baby?  What is the baby’s name?”The cat said, “The baby’s name is All-Gone.” 

 The mouse was not very intelligent.  He did not suspect the cat.  Soon, winter arrived. It was December. There was no food to eat. The little mouse said, “Cat, it is winter! There is no food, but we saved some food.  We saved a pot of delicious fat.” “A pot of fat?” said the cat nervously.
 He knew he did not save the fat.  He ate the fat. He was a bad partner.“Yes, the pot is in the church.” said the mouse.  “Let’s go!”So the cat and the mouse went to the church.  The cat walked nervously.  The mouse suspected something strange.  They arrived at the church.  The pot was in its place. He opened the pot, but it was empty! There was no fat!  The mouse was furious!  He suspected the cat ate the fat. 
He said, “Did you eat the fat?”“Yes,” said the cat.“Now we have no food saved for winter,” said the mouse.
.“Actually, I do have food to eat,” said the cat.  Then the cat attacked the mouse.  He was a bad partner. The cat ate the mouse.  He was delicious.

You see, that is the way of the world.

 

 Arthur Rackham.  

 

19 September 1867 – 6 September 1939