Bambi, A Life in the Woods

For works with similar titles, see Bambi.

BAMBI

Bambi saw two fawns standing side by side.

BAMBI

A Life in the Woods

By
Felix Salten

Foreword by
John Galsworthy

SIMON AND SCHUSTER

NEW YORK

1928

COPYRIGHT, 1928, BY
SIMON AND SCHUSTER, INC.
37 WEST 57 ST., NEW YORK
All rights reserved

First Printing in America, July, 1928

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY
ABBOTT PRESS & MORTIMER-WALLING, INC., NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRANSLATED BY WHITTAKER CHAMBERS ILLUSTRATIONS BY KURT WIESE

FOREWORD

BAMBI is a delicious book. For delicacy of perception and essential truth I hardly know any story of animals that can stand beside this life study of a forest deer. Felix Salten is a poet. He feels nature deeply, and he loves animals. I do not, as a rule, like the method which places human words in the mouths of dumb creatures, and it is the triumph of this book that, behind the conversation, one feels the real sensations of the creatures who speak. Clear and illuminating, and in places very moving, it is a little masterpiece.

I read it in galley proof on the way from Paris to Calais, before a channel crossing. As I finished each sheet I handed it to my wife, who read, and handed it to my nephew’s wife, who read, and handed it to my nephew. For three hours the four of us read thus in silent absorption. Those who know what it is to read books in galley proof, and have experienced channel crossings, will realize that few books will stand such a test. Bambi is one of them. I particularly recommend it to sportsmen.

John Galsworthy March 16th, 1928

Chapters (not listed in original)

ILLUSTRATIONS

	PAGE
Frontispiece	iii
He stood there, swaying unsteadily on his thin legs.	15
Overhead two jays were quarreling. “What vulgarity ” he chattered, “what vulgarity!”	25
The leaves fall slowly.	45
There sat the Hare looking like a very honest creature.	51
The squirrel sat up, balancing himself with his handsome upright tail.	71
It took Bambi’s breath away to see them.	87
The old stag kept gazing at him.	101
“Have I changed much?” asked the second leaf, shyly but determinedly.	107
Bambi had to paw the snow away with endless labor before he could find one withered little blade of grass.	117
Bambi was hardly aware that he had begun to run again.	145
“Excuse me,” said the woodpecker, “but I always have to laugh when I see you deer acting like that.”	151
At last Bambi caught up with her and barred the way.	165
The stag immediately lifted his head and looked at him.	177
The old stag advanced slowly and Bambi followed him.	187
“Faline, sister, you knew me anyway.” Gobo went to her and kissed her mouth.	197
“The dogs found me.”	205
Marena was quiet and serious and gentler than any of the others.	213
“Did I frighten you?” asked the owl.	221
Gobo would stand with perfect peace of mind in the bright sunshine on the meadow.	225
The ducks talked endlessly to one another in a friendly, serious, capable way.	235
Bambi lay on the warm earth with the mouldering bark of the fallen tree above him.	255
“My beautiful old oak, do you remember it? It was awful. He chopped it down!”	265
The fox came springing, crouching and slinking. A little, short legged hound was after him.	271
The pheasants, swooping down from their roosts, would stand in one spot.	279
Two fawns were standing side by side, in their little red coats.	291

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1930.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1974, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 50 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

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