des fables

The bus number one stops in front of our house, conveniently taking us directly to the train station whenever we want, door to door.  We've noticed for a while now that, posted across the front if it reads the name of the end of the line - Jardin Botanique - the botanical garden of Geneva.  {Just an aside - I spotted another bus that has its last stop reading: bout du monde (end of the world).  Now that's gonna be a great post.}  One weekend afternoon a couple of weeks ago, we hopped on the good ol' numero uno  - with Aoife's bike and the stroller, making us very popular amongst the other passengers - and settled in, ready to see what was left of the fall flowers and foliage at the end of the line.  

Foliage, we found, but a path leading to a clearing distracted Aoife, so we followed.  We rounded the bend and, well...look for yourself.

There is something uncanny in her ability to locate these things.  Do they squeak at a pitch that is not audible to adults, beckoning children?  This one is the ultimate, though.  It's the Carrousel des Fables, and it was orchestrated by an organization called Copyrart, which, from what I can tell, unites artists and artisans to train people who are unemployed, the work culminating in projects such as this carousel, this unbelievable carousel.  

Jean de la Fontaine's fables inspired this masterpiece.  Can you identify any fable characters?

That boy there will soon walk.  I'll keep you posted.