Animal tale

The medieval French cycle of allegories, Roman de Reynart is called a beast-epic, with the recurring figure Reynard the Fox.

For example, Latin versions of Aesop's Fables were standard educational material in the European Middle Ages, over a millennium after they were written.

Br'er Rabbit is smaller and weaker than most characters he encounters, but defeats them with cleverness, similar to tricksters of African folklore, such as Anansi.

Rather than being a story for children, this book was intended for adults attempting to understand the new political landscape during the post-World War II Red Scare.

Post-war English examples of the genre include the "Uncle" series (1964–1973) by J. P. Martin, and the novels of Richard Adams, most notably Watership Down (1972).