Two Fables with Illustrations by Graham Dean [Signed]

Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England : Viking - Penguin Books , 1986. Stated at copyright: "First Published 1986". First printing. Beautifully signed by Roald Dahl on custom pictorial bookplate at front endpaper: "Roald Dahl". Unique bookplate appears to be of tiger in jungle foliage preparing to pounce; but, Dahl has signed this plate upside-down and a facial expression of an awestruck child can be seen when held this way. Black full-cloth boards, sharp gilt impressed spine titles, fine. Pages near fine, no writing. Features a smooth color frontispiece with full and partial page imagery. Illustrated by Graham Dean in a rather impressionist or abstract way throughout. Bind fine, square; hinges intact. Dynamic dust wrapper, fine; unclipped 5.95 GBP, protected in new clear sleeve. Designed by Bet Ayer, jacket appears to imply with deep red and black areas torn in two representing love and death. Near fine rarity. From front flap: Roald Dahl is recognized as a master in two rather distinct fields: the short story and the children's book. His writing career began with short stories, brought together in such classic collections as Kiss, Kiss and Switch Bitch, but in recent years he has been consolidating his reputation as the foremost living writer for children with books like The Twits, The BFG and The Witches. Now, in the year of Dahl's seventieth birthday, he has written two quite startlingly original stories that, whilst owing something to the clarity and verve of his writing for children, are firmly intended for adults. These fables are modern assertions about the way people behave. Both are concerned with uses and misuses of power, whether exercised politically or sexually. And, most important of all, both are as characteristically surprising and amusing as his best. Two Fables was published as a tribute by Viking in honour of Roald Dahl's seventieth birthday, 13 September, 1986. The Princess and the Pauper concerns a physically abhorent young man with a super unnatural beastly strength who rescues a beautiful princess from a charging boar. He is then granted right by the king to have any woman in the kingdom he so desires. The wise king foresees the inevitable conclusion and true love's path. The second tale, Princess Mammalia, is quite sinister involving another princess and king. This princess is also beautiful but incredibly vain, and wields her appearance to her own ends. When she is given the chance of taking over the throne by poisoning her father, she takes the advice of a mysterious beggar who gives her the poison. But who really is this mysterious beggar? The legendary Roald Dahl combines these two tales with all the verve and wicked sense of humour he usually exhibits. Two Fables is no exception and great fun from a master storyteller. Dahl's parents were Norwegian, but he was born in Glamorgan, one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales, in 1916 and educated at Repton School. On the outbreak of the Second World War he enlisted in the RAF in Naibrobi and later saw service as a fighter pilot in Greece and Syria. In 1942 he went to Washington as Assistant Air Attache and it was here he started to write short stories. Graham Dean, an equally provocative element of this book, is one of Britain's most inventive and popular artists and has been exhibting paintings internationally for a dozen years. His works are now in countless private collections, and several public collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum. Printed in Great Britain. 64 pages. Insured post.. Signed by Author. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. Illus. by Dean, Graham. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" Tall.