Alcee Fortier

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Recommended: Folktale analysis

Alcee Fortier was the first author to translate and compile Louisiana Black Creole folktales, however, he mainly focused on animal tales. The tale, “The Marriage of Compair Lapin,” featured the wily trickster rabbit that outwit his adversaries. The tale began with Compair Lapin being thrown into the briers-misery in his life. He had run away but quick to survive. On that same day, he met Miss Leonine, and they both went away to a foreign country. Lapin met the king of elephants; he asked to stay in the land because he was attempted to kill by his country, King Lion. The king elephant let him and his wife stay and gave Lapin a position, captain of his bank and watchman of his property. His life was settled in the foreign land but he wasn’t …show more content…

Three weeks after the wedding, Mrs. Compair Lapin gave birth to two little ones; one was white and one was black as soot. Compair Lapin was not pleased, and complained to the king of elephants. The king responded that in Mrs. Compair Lapin’s family, it happens very often that the little ones are black. It is when the ladies are afraid in a dark night, "so console yourself, and don’t be troubled” (Dixon 298). In conclusion, the tale involved in some form moral, and mythological components such as why dogs “smell each other everywhere” (295). African tales often tell of slaves explaining racism and the reaction to it to young children. They use animals to convey their messages. The nature of social power practice between King Lion and king of elephants, one wanted to kill Compair Lapin while the other accepted Lapin into his country. It depicted that the King Lion as powerful and he seems to be aggressive and hot-tempered ruler. He sent messengers and attacked others without a careful plan. On the other hand, the king of elephant was also a powerful figure but he was more calm and planning to defeat his enemy. The king of elephant was portrayed as a good leader. He knew how to use people by giving them the right tasks. He listened to Compair Lapin how to set up snares and traps to kill their

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