THE FAIR IMPERIA THE VENIAL SIN THE KING'S SWEETHEART THE DEVIL'S HEIR THE MERRIE JESTS OF KING LOUIS THE ELEVENTH THE HIGH CONSTABLE'S WIFE THE MAID OF THILOUSE THE BROTHERS-IN-ARMS THE VICAR OF AZAY-LE-RIDEAU THE REPROACH THE THREE CLERKS OF ST. NICHOLAS THE CONTINENCE OF KING FRANCIS THE FIRST THE MERRY TATTLE OF THE NUNS OF POISSY HOW THE CHATEAU D'AZAY CAME TO BE BUILT THE FALSE COURTESAN THE DANGER OF BEING TOO INNOCENT THE DEAR NIGHT OF LOVE THE SERMON OF THE MERRY VICAR OF MEUDON THE SUCCUBUS DESPAIR IN LOVE PERSEVERANCE IN LOVE CONCERNING A PROVOST WHO DID NOT RECOGNISE THINGS ABOUT THE MONK AMADOR, WHO WAS A GLORIOUS ABBOT OF TURPENAY BERTHA THE PENITENT HOW THE PRETTY MAID OF PORTILLON CONVINCED HER JUDGE IN WHICH IT IS DEMONSTRATED THAT FORTUNE IS ALWAYS FEMININE CONCERNING A POOR MAN WHO WAS CALLED LE VIEUX PAR-CHEMINS ODD SAYINGS OF THREE PILGRIMS INNOCENCE THE FAIR IMPERIA MARRIED

An enduring classic, Droll Stories offers a highly animated and entertaining portrait of life in 16th-century Europe. Jaico Classics presents its first edition of 10 lively tales by the inimitable and irreverent novelist, Honoré de Balzac. Written with the author’s trademark wordplay, stories such as The Maid of Thilouse present the good-humoured licentiousness of Balzac’s times. Tales like The Merry Jests of King Louis the Eleventh and The Venial Sin that once scandalized the public now simply delight modern readers. Full of exquisite charm and colour, Droll Stories by Balzac is a must-read for any fan of the Classics. Honoré de Balzac was a pioneer of Realism in European literature and an inspiration to the likes of Oscar Wilde, Dickens and Dostoyevsky. He continues to influence the work of artists and filmmakers even today. He is famously known for his extensive collection of short stories entitled La Comédie Humaine.