Hooptedoodle #20 - Patapoufs et Filifers - encore une fois

My very first Hooptedoodle posting, last Summer, made reference to a book of which I am very fond, André Maurois' Patapoufs & Filifers, published in 1930 and illustrated by Jean Bruller.

Without wishing to go over old ground, I should explain that the Patapoufs are a nation of stout, placid people, while their near neighbours, the Filifers, are ectomorphic, irritable and generally everything which the Patapoufs are not. The nations are irreconcilable and constantly at war (although it all works out in the end), and these characteristics extend to all aspects of their lives, even the geography.

As a child I enjoyed studying their armies in the book. My recent involvement with Scruby figures has reminded me of Maurois' book (since they are clearly Filifers), and I was looking at the illustrations again this morning.

Here are some of the military scenes. First we see the respective armies on manoeuvres...

...then there are some interesting views of the styles of trench employed in the two armies...

...which leads, sadly, on to a portrayal of the tragic death of Commandant Tripouf, who died in action as a result of overeating in a trench.

Lastly, a view of the Filifers' armoured forces crossing the Sahapouf Desert - scary.