Asterix and the Cauldron is the thirteenth volume of the Asterix comic book series, by René Goscinny (stories) and Albert Uderzo (illustrations). It was first serialized in the magazine Pilote, issues 469-491, in 1968, and translated into English in 1976.
About the Author
René Goscinny (14 August 1926 – 5 November 1977) was a French comics editor and writer, who is best known for the comic book Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and for his work on the comic series Lucky Luke with Morris (considered the series' golden age) and Iznogoud with Jean Tabary.
Goscinny was born in Paris in 1926, to a family of Jewish immigrants from Poland. He spent a happy childhood in Buenos Aires, and studied in the French schools there. He had a habit of being the "Class Clown", probably to compensate for a natural shyness. He started drawing very early on, inspired by the illustrated stories which he enjoyed reading.Goscinny died at 51, in Paris of cardiac arrest on 5 November 1977, during a stress test at his doctor's office. He was buried in the Jewish Cemetery of Nice. In accordance with his will, most of his money was transferred to the chief rabbinate of France.
Book Plot
Asterix is left in charge of the cauldron full of sestertii, which is promptly stolen during the night. The strict laws of the Gauls demand that Asterix be banished until he has atoned for his negligence. Obelix immediately “banishes” himself to stay with his friend. In order to regain his honor, Asterix, with Obelix's help, must find money to refill the cauldron and repay Whosemoralsarelastix.Asterix and Obelix engage in many futile attempts to earn back the money. This includes questioning the Romans at Comdatum (only to trigger a riot when the Romans know nothing about the theft and assume that the Gauls are there to get them to pay for being in the legions), trashing the pirates in the belief that they stole the money (although the pirates were for once trying to engage in an honest profession by turning their ship into a restaurant), selling boars (only to sell them at a ridiculously low price), prize fighting (only to win worthless statuettes), acting (Obelix insults the audience and ruins the company), gambling (only to lose their money when the tip doesn't pay off) and even trying to rob a bank (which is empty of money due to the recent tax increases by the Romans).
With little else to gain or lose they take the cauldron back to Whosemoralsarelastix's village, Asterix hoping that he will be able to save the village's honour by clarifying that he alone is responsible for the loss. As they approach the village's area, they stumble upon and rob a Roman tax collector at the last minute. They beat up his escort and Asterix steals the money the taxman has obtained. But as they set off to take the money to Whosemoralsarelastix, Asterix catches a suspicious smell on the coins. The cauldron had previously been used for cooking onion soup and the coins, fresh from the collector's coffers, smell of onion soup as well.
The money itself, however, falls right into the ship and the lap of the pirates, who for once conclude an adventure on a happy note for themselves. Back at Asterix's village a celebration is held for the return of the two heroes and the recovery of their honour, though Obelix, still a little confused over matters, asks why the cauldron was used to contain money instead of onion soup in the first place.
