Belgian Tales

Belgian comics played a major role in the development of European comics. Comics is "an integral part of Belgian culture" and one of the arts where Belgium has had an international and enduring impact in the 1900s. Among the well known characters are Tintin, the Smurfs, Lucky Luke, Spirou and Fantasio. [Wikipedia, s.v. "Belgian cartoons"]

Most comics tell stories, either brief ones (anecdotes and jokes) or longer ones. Before the era of mass media and cartoons, tales served in part for entertainment, in part for inspiration. Tales, songs, parades and epic poetry tell of the past and serve a continuity of identity too.