The Cricket and the Ant. (Il grigl e la furmicla)
Disentis/Mustér, Switzerland: Desertina Verlag, (1979, no ISBN, CH-7180), Foreword by Iso Carmartin; shiny black cloth backed pictorial boards, with wrap around illustration of twelve ant and cricket couples walking through a bright green field, following the bride and groom, deep blue sky with purple bells, (in Neocolor Crayon d'Arches); oblong 12.5x9.5. Picture book hardback.
The tragic story of two lovers, from an old Romansh song from Grisons Canton in Switzerland. "The excess of the cricket, which brings about his fall, is followed by the touching sympathy of the ant, who braves the sea and great distances to save her husband ... beloved among both old and young Romansh Swiss." Iso Carmartin, University of Zurich. Brilliantly illustrated with little angular ant and cricket figures. The music, Romansh words and simple score, threads through these bright pictures, many two page spreads. SIGNED with a charming ink drawing by Haas of the cricket on one knee playing his fiddle, dated 1/25/1988. Date of English edition unknown.
CONDITION: Fine without jacket, probably as issued, no names or other marks, sharp corners, smooth boards, very clean. Item #21460
$160