Contes de la fève et du gland (Tales of the Bean and the Acorn) is a collection of newly-adapted and newly-written but ancient-sounding tales, again written by Charles Poucet, here alias the Marquis de Carabas, all with an adult twist. Here are whale mermaids, libidinous giants, and vampires eager to mate with humans.

Nicole Claveloux’s coloured illustrations are extremely detailed and full of small, often delicious details that bear witness to a great deal of research into subjects of all kinds. Her imaginary world is essentially fantastic, and of course erotic. Here is her Sleeping Beauty, examined from all angles during her sleep by a multitude of elves with erections; here are the hibernating bears, tenderly hugging naked young women in their paws; and here the tree goddess, a shapely woman whose arms and hair evoke branches occupied by nests and small animals, while a fox languidly licks her vulva.

In addition to the colour illustrations, we have also included a selection of the preparatory sketches for some of the creatures that appear in the book.

Like Confessions, Contes de la fève et du gland was published by Éditions Folies d'Encre, but it too is out of print so unavailable except at a price most will not be willing to pay. Nicole Claveloux is one of the most accomplished of modern erotic illustrators; both of these important and beautiful books should be in print, and available to a wider international audience.