Other editions of book The Fables of La Fontaine

Second only to Aesop, Jean de la Fontaine was the author of comic and delightful fables that are as alive today as when they first appeared in the 18th century. Based on tales both famous and obscure by an array of classical writers, La Fontaine’s fables offer vivid perspectives on such elemental subjects as greed and flattery, envy and avarice, love and friendship, old age and death.

Second only to Aesop, Jean de la Fontaine was the author of comic and delightful fables that are as alive today as when they first appeared in the 18th century. Based on tales both famous and obscure by an array of classical writers, La Fontaine’s fables offer vivid perspectives on such elemental subjects as greed and flattery, envy and avarice, love and friendship, old age and death.

The fables which are included in this collection are not merely moral, but are, to a certain extent, an encyclopædia of the qualities and characteristics of animals, and, consequently, of our own; since we men are, in fact, but a summary of all that is good and bad in the lower ranks of creatures. When Prometheus determined upon creating man, he took the dominant characteristic of each beast, and of these various characteristics composed the human species. It follows, therefore, that in these fables, in which beasts play so great a part, we may each of us find some feature which we may recognise as our own. The old may find in them a confirmation of their experiences, and the young may learn from them that which they ought to know. As the latter are but strangers in the world, they are as yet unacquainted with its inhabitants; they are even unacquainted with themselves. They ought not to be left in this ignorance, but should be instructed as to the qualities of the lion, the fox, and so forth, and as to the why and the wherefore a man is sometimes compared to the said lion and fox. To effect this instruction is the object of these fables.

Second only to Aesop, Jean de la Fontaine was the author of comic and delightful fables that are as alive today as when they first appeared in the 18th century. Based on tales both famous and obscure by an array of classical writers, La Fontaine’s fables offer vivid perspectives on such elemental subjects as greed and flattery, envy and avarice, love and friendship, old age and death.

Second only to Aesop, Jean de la Fontaine was the author of comic and delightful fables that are as alive today as when they first appeared in the 18th century. Based on tales both famous and obscure by an array of classical writers, La Fontaine’s fables offer vivid perspectives on such elemental subjects as greed and flattery, envy and avarice, love and friendship, old age and death.

Elizur WrightSecond only to Aesop, Jean de la Fontaine was the author of comic and delightful fables that are as alive today as when they first appeared in the 18th century. Based on tales both famous and obscure by an array of classical writers, La Fontaine’s fables offer vivid perspectives on such elemental subjects as greed and flattery, envy and avarice, love and friendship, old age and death.

CONTENTSAs Essay on the Life and Works of Jean de la Fontaine xiiiThe Life of Æsop, the Phrygian xxxiiiDedication to Monseigneur the Dauphin liPreface lvTo Monseigneur the Dauphin lxiiiThe Grasshopper and the Ant 3The Raven and the Fox 5The Frog that Wished to make Herself as Big as the Ox 7The Two Mules 11The Wolf and the Dog 13The Heifer, the She-goat, and the Lamb, in Partnershipwith the Lion 16The Wallet 18The Swallow and the Little Birds 20The Town Rat and the Country Rat 27The Man and his Image 29The Dragon with many Heads, and the Dragon withmany Tails 31The Wolf and the Lamb 35The Robbers and the Ass 37Death and the Woodcutter 39Simonides rescued by the Gods 43Death and the Unhappy Man 47The Wolf turned Shepherd 51The Child and the Schoolmaster 53The Pullet and the Pearl 55The Drones and the Bees 56The Oak and the Reed 61Against Those Who are Hard to Please 63The Council held by the Rats 69The Wolf Pleading against the Fox before the Ape 71The Middle-Aged Man and the Two Widows 73The Fox and the Stork 75The Lion and the Gnat 79The Ass Laden with Sponges, and the Ass Ladenwith Salt 82The Lion and the Rat 84The Dove and the Ant 88The Astrologer Who let Himself Fall into the Well 90The Hare and the Frogs 95The Two Bulls and the Frog 97The Peacock Complaining to Juno 101The Bat and the Two Weasels 103The Bird Wounded by an Arrow 105The Miller, his Son, and the Ass 106The Cock and the Fox 113The Frogs Who Asked for a King 116The Dog and Her Companion 121The Fox and the Grapes 125The Eagle and the Beetle 126The Raven Who Wished to Imitate the Eagle 130The Wolves and the Sheep 132The Cat Changed into a Woman 136Philomel and Progne 141The Lion and the Ass 143The Cat and the Old Rat 145A Will Interpreted by Æsop 151The Lion in Love 156The Fox and the Goat 161The Shepherd and the Sea 165The Drunkard and His Wife 167King Caster and the Members 169The Monkey and the Dolphin 172The Eagle, the Wild Sow, and the Cat 177The Miser Who Lost His Treasure 180The Gout and the Spider 185The Eye of the Master 188The Wolf and the Stork 193The Lion Defeated by Man 195The Swan and the Cook 196The Wolf, the Goat, and the Kid 198The Wolf, the Mother, and the Child 200The Lion Grown Old 205The Drowned Woman 207The Weasel in the Granary 209The Lark and Her Little Ones With the Ownerof a Field 211The Fly and the Ant 217The Gardener and his Master 220The Woodman and Mercury 223The Ass and the Little Dog 230Man and the Wooden Idol 233The Jay Dressed in Peacock's Plumes 235The Little Fish and the Fisherman 239Battle Between the Rats and Weasles 241The Camel and the Drift-Wood 244The Frog and the Rat 246The Old Woman and Her Servants 251The Animals Sending a Tribute to Alexander 253The Horse Wishing to be Revenged on the Stag 257The Fox and the Bust 259The Horse and the Wolf 263The Saying of Socrates 265The Old Man and His Children 267The Oracle and the Impious Man 270The Mountain in Labour 272Fortune and the Little Child 275The Earthen Pot and the Iron Pot 277The Hare's Ears 279The Fox with His Tail Cut Off 281The Satyr and the Passer-By 283The Doctors 287The Labouring Man and His Children 289The Hen with the Golden Eggs 291The Ass that Carried the Relics 295The Serpent and the File 296The Hare and the Partridge 298The Stag and the Vine 300The Lion Going to War 304The Ass in the Lion's Skin 306The Eagle and the Owl 308The Shepherd and the Lion 313The Lion and the Hunter 316Phœbus and Boreas 318The Bear and the Two Friends 323Jupiter and the Farmer 326The Stag Viewing Himself in the Stream 328The Cockerel, the Cat, and the Little Rat 332The Fox, the Monkey, and the Other Animals 335The Mule That Boasted of His Family 337The Old Man and the Ass 339The Countryman and the Serpent 343The Hare and the Tortoise 34

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.