The Wolf's Secret by Myriam Dahman and Nicolas Digard illustrated by Júlia Sardá

"His fur was dark like tree bark after the rain. His eyes were golden like the rising moon. "

"Her hair was dark like the woods and wild like the grass. In the depths of her amber eyes, the Wolf sensed a tenderness that touched his heart."

The wolf is a wild creature but from the edge of the forest he observes a young woman and her daily routine of collecting water and care of her dying father. He loves to hear her sing, "but one morning the young woman didn't come to the well." Her father has died.

In fairy tales we often read about the reward of a good deed. The Wolf catches a rabbit. He hears a voice say "Set me free ... and in return I will help you. I know your sorrow." The rabbit changes into a wizard and his advice is to follow the music but to also remember every choice has a consequence. At the top of a mountain the Wolf finds an enormous egg in a nest. He puts his head through a strap attached to the egg and it shrinks into a bell. Wearing the bell he returns to the young woman. 

The tiny bell gives the Wolf the power of human speech. For seven days the Wolf sits behind the young woman, she sings and he tells stories of the forest. At night the Wolf tries to hunt for his food but the tiny bell alerts his prey. Eventually the Wolf collapses from hunger. When he awakes he discovers the young woman has removed the bell. He can no longer speak to her but since she now has the talisman around her neck some thing miraculous has happened. 

At first I thought this book by French author Myriam Dahman was a translated book, and one review even mentioned this, but I am now fairly sure Myriam and Nicola, also from France, wrote this book in English. 

If you enjoy owning scrumptious books with rich illustrations and intriguing stories I suggest you add this book to your shopping list. Take a look at Júlia Sardá's art here. She lives in Barcelona.

This sumptuous hardback gift book, with gold foil detail, is perfect for lovers of fairy tales and fables, new and old. Hachette Australia

A beautiful and lyrical contemporary fairy tale about difference, trust and the power of friendship to overcome any obstacle, stunningly illustrated in rich autumnal colours ... Achucka

Julia Sarda has created a mysterious, mythical forest in which a bereaved girl finds solace in the company of animals and the rich darkness of leaf and earth. Dahman and Digard’s story turns Red Riding Hood on its head and celebrates the connection we have with the natural world rather than our disconnect from it: less of a fairy-tale style warning of the danger of wild animals than an acknowledgement of the wild within ourselves. Gorgeous. Book Trust

This story resonates on many levels and is a constant feast for the eye with its sumptuous illustrations reminiscent of those in old Russian tales. StoryLinks

Companion reads:

Bear and Wolf

Cherryblossom and the Golden Bear