Circle of Life

Now, I'm borrowing the title from a more recent Disney film, but it does tie in to this post. (Kind of)
I just finished reading a 1929 copy of Bambi, by Felix Salten.  This particular volume is the first edition of the book in English. (as translated by Whittaker Chambers).  The original first edition was published in 1923 in Austria, under the title, "Bambi: A Life in the Woods").  If you've never read it, I can recommend that you do so.  Be warned though, except for all the animals talking to each other, it has very, very little in common with the Disney version.  There is no character named Thumper.  There is a "Flower", but she is not a skunk, but a butterfly, and appears only very briefly.  There is not great forest fire, and Bambi's mother (and father) is with him only a very short time.  (As in nature.)  I won't give too much more away, except in this dark version of events, Bambi actually gets shot.  He survives, and later meets a couple of fawns which the text implies (but never actually states), are his children.  While this version was written as a children's book, it is more realistic.   Its worth the read, if for nothing more than perspective on how the passage of time affects family values.  Read and enjoy!