九九藏書

A just-so story, also called the ad hoc fallacy, is a term used in academic anthropology, biological sciences, and social sciences. It describes an unverifiable and unfalsifiable narrative explanation for a cultural practice or a biological trait or behavior of humans or other animals. The use of the term is an implicit criticism that reminds the hearer of the essentially fictional and unprovable nature of such an explanation. Such tales are common in folklore and mythology (where they are known as etiological myths)

《遠古傳奇》是吉卜林創作的兒童作品中最有名的故事集之一。在吉卜林所有的著作當中，他自己最喜歡的就是這本《遠古傳奇》。每一個故事都稱得上是吉卜林的代表作。他對動物的熱愛彷彿與生俱來，並從中獲得巨大靈感。本書所收集的大象的孩子、花豹身上的斑點是怎麼長出來的、獨來獨往的貓和其他寓言故事最初是吉卜林講給他孩子的女護理員聽的。前者講得津津有味，後者聽得如痴如醉。這些故事按照主題和描述的環境，從動物講到字母的起源，從史前山洞講到非洲熱帶叢林。本書以離奇而豐富的想象，細膩而生動的描寫，講述著很久很久以前人類與動物的種種變故。