9 ▁edition ▁of ▁A es op ' s ▁f ables . ▁It ▁is ▁his ▁comment ▁on ▁the ▁second ▁Napole onic ▁regime ▁that ▁had ▁driven ▁his ▁parents ▁into ▁ex ile . ▁ ▁The ▁glo om ▁of ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁ill ust rat ors ▁was ▁mit ig ated ▁by ▁a ▁more ▁light - heart ed ▁touch ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁century . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁edition ▁of ▁A es op ' s ▁F ables , ▁Arthur ▁R ack ham ▁chose ▁to ▁picture ▁the ▁care free ▁fro gs ▁at ▁play ▁on ▁their ▁King ▁Log , ▁a ▁much ▁r ar er ▁subject ▁among ▁ill ust rat ors . ▁But ▁the ▁French ▁artist ▁Benjamin ▁Rab ier , ▁having ▁already ▁illustrated ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁La ▁Font aine ' s ▁f ables , ▁sub vert ed ▁the ▁whole ▁subject ▁in ▁a ▁later ▁picture , ▁Le ▁Tob og gan ▁( ‘ The ▁sle igh - run ’ , ▁ 1 9 2 5 ). ▁In ▁this , ▁the ▁st ork ▁too ▁has ▁become ▁a ▁willing ▁play thing ▁of ▁the ▁fro gs ▁as ▁they ▁g lee fully ▁hop ▁onto ▁his ▁back ▁and ▁use ▁his ▁bill ▁as ▁a ▁water - slide . ▁ ▁Liter ary ▁all us ions ▁▁ ▁The ▁majority ▁of ▁all us ions ▁to ▁A es op ' s ▁f able ▁contrast ▁the ▁pass ivity ▁of ▁King ▁Log ▁with ▁the ▁ener get ic ▁policy ▁of ▁King ▁St ork . ▁They ▁include ▁a ▁reference ▁by ▁American ▁author ▁Nathan iel ▁Haw th or ne ▁in ▁his ▁novel