The Babes in the Wood: May Bells Series: Poetry Guide and Free Edition
The Babes in the Wood: May Bells Series: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Babes in the Wood: May Bells Series is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Anonymous.
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Babes in the Wood" by Anonymous is a traditional poem or ballad written during the late 17th to early 18th century. This narrative poem recounts the tragic story of two innocent children left to the mercy of their cruel uncle, highlighting themes of betrayal, loss, and divine retribution. The story begins with the death of a well-to-do gentleman and his wife, who leave behind two young children: a boy and a girl. Their uncle, who swears to care for them, instead plots to murder them for their inheritance. As the children embark on a journey with hired ruffians, their innocent chatter softens the hearts of one of the assassins, leading to an internal conflict that results in the children's eventual abandonment in the woods. They tragically succumb to starvation and cold, while their uncle faces the wrath of divine justice for his treachery, leading to his own downfall. In the end, it is Robin Redbreast, the bird, who buries the children under leaves, symbolizing their innocence and the tragic consequences of greed.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Babes in the Wood: May Bells Series
- Author credits: Anonymous
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Children's poetry
Gutenberg collections
- Category: British Literature
- Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore
- Category: Poetry
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Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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