South American Jungle Tales - Horacio QUIROGA

The stories in South American Jungle Tales center on the relationships between people and the different creatures Quiroga came into contact with on his farm in Misiones, a region of jungle in Uruguay along the banks of the Upper Parana river. Each story quickly evolves into a fantastical realm where the various animals take on familiar human characteristics. These stories, of course, are a metaphor for how man interacts with nature. They are used to show how human beings are an integral part of a greater ecosystem; and can either chose to exploit it to his detriment, or to live in harmony within it. - Summary by James K. White