Babar Author's Archive Reveals Hundreds of Children's Stories Where the Mother is Murdered
Jean de Brunhoff Was Unapologetic about His Favorite Plot Device
Babar’s author Jean de Brunhoff apparently had a thing for killing the mother of his protagonist.
Hundreds of unpublished stories found in the author’s archive reveal the same storyline: an animal’s mother is shot dead and the child must fend for themselves.
For Babar, it worked out. After a hunter shoots the elephant’s mother, he flees and discovers a city where he is adopted by a rich old human lady, literally named 'Christelle, la Vieille Dame' ("Christelle, the Old Lady"). She dresses and tutors him as if he's a human giving readers all sorts of neocolonialism vibes.
Eventually Babar returns home, bringing his civilized and cultured ways. His cousins even give him a crown and allow him to marry his cousin. See, what did I tell ya? Happy ending.
But in many of the other newly uncovered stories, the protagonist wails and wanders for pages before experiencing deep depression, crippling anxiety, somatic symptom disorder, and post-traumatic stress.
Several of de Brunhoff’s lesser-known characters also experience less academic success, low self-esteem, and engage in risky sexual behaviors.
Several of de Brunhoff’s lesser-known characters also experience less academic success, low self-esteem, and engage in risky sexual behaviors.
In “Gurru,” a story about a young kangaroo (whose mother is also killed, but his time by poachers), the book ends with the young kangaroo asking - we’re not sure of whom - “What kind of a cruel world is this where mothers must always be shot?”
The world of de Brunhoff, apparently.
In another story called “Cougouar,” a small cougar must watch in horror as its mother gets caught in an Impala stampede after a hunting lesson goes awry. In an untitled story about a small Alpine Marmot, the young squirrel tries to take care of his ailing mother who is suffering from a long, drawn-out battle with para-pox, complete with graphic illustrations of mange, scab, and myxomatosis.
One wonders what the author's own relationship was like with his mother or how his involvement in the trench warfare of WW1 helped to shape his dark penchant for parricide.
Amidst the stories uncovered by his estate is a letter from de Brunhoff’s editor asking if it’s really necessary that the mother be killed every time to which de Brunhoff replied, “Yes. Every time.”
Perhaps this little clause in the author’s publishing contract is part of the reason these stories never saw the light of day. In fact, de Brunhoff’s own publisher at Condé Nast nicknamed him “the one-trick pony.”
After getting wind of his nickname, de Brunhoff didn’t get mad but found inspiration, writing the story “Poney d’un Tour,” about a little horse who has to resort to a life of prostitution once his mother is killed on page 7.
The entire unpublished collection will go to auction at Artcurial auction house in Paris later this month, but at the time of publishing this article there was little interest and no early bids.