The Very Hungry Lion

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian studies at
Concordia University, and the author of Kurlek, Margaret Laurence: The
Long Journey Home, and As Though Life Mattered: Leo Kennedy’s Story.

This traditional East Indian fable about a peaceful day in the forest is
enlivened by the laziness and folly of Singam, the very hungry lion.
Singam is convinced that there must be easier ways to catch dinner than
chasing his prey through the forest. His would-be victims easily
outsmart him, leaving him hungry and ready to “go on a real hunt
tomorrow.”

Distinguishing this whimsical and amusing book are Indrapramit Roy’s
striking illustrations, adapted from the Warli style of folk painting
from western India. The images were silk-screened by hand onto paper
made from rice husks and recycled fibres. The unusual paper provides a
fragrance and tactile pleasure that will be new to Western children. In
India such art, depicting village life, myths, and legends, would be
rendered with white pigment on the mud walls of people’s houses.
Roy’s art features bold colors and witty designs.

An insert notes that the handmade-paper industry flourished in India
from the 12th century until the 19th century, when it suffered a setback
under British rule. This labor-intensive art enjoyed a revival in 1939.
The Very Hungry Lion was hand-printed in India in a rented house, a
project that gave employment to eight people for six months. Highly
recommended.