



Produced by Madelaine Kilsby, Laura Natal Rodriguez and
Marc D'Hooghe at http://www.freeliterature.org (Images
generously made available by the Hathi Trust and Gallica,
Bibliothèque nationale de France, for the illustrations)





THE FABLES

OF

LA FONTAINE.

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH VERSE BY WALTER THORNBURY,

WITH

ILLUSTRATIONS

BY

GUSTAVE DORÉ.

CASSELL, PETTER, AND GALPIN,

LONDON AND NEW YORK.

1886





[Illustration: Jean de la Fontaine]




    CONTENTS


    As Essay on the Life and Works of Jean de la Fontaine
    The Life of Æsop, the Phrygian
    Dedication to Monseigneur the Dauphin
    Preface
    To Monseigneur the Dauphin

    The Grasshopper and the Ant
    The Raven and the Fox
    The Frog that Wished to make Herself as Big as the Ox
    The Two Mules
    The Wolf and the Dog
    The Heifer, the She-goat, and the Lamb, in Partnership with the Lion
    The Wallet
    The Swallow and the Little Birds
    The Town Rat and the Country Rat
    The Man and his Image
    The Dragon with many Heads, and the Dragon with many Tails
    The Wolf and the Lamb
    The Robbers and the Ass
    Death and the Woodcutter
    Simonides rescued by the Gods
    Death and the Unhappy Man
    The Wolf turned Shepherd
    The Child and the Schoolmaster
    The Pullet and the Pearl
    The Drones and the Bees
    The Oak and the Reed
    Against Those Who are Hard to Please
    The Council held by the Rats
    The Wolf Pleading against the Fox before the Ape
    The Middle-Aged Man and the Two Widows
    The Fox and the Stork
    The Lion and the Gnat
    The Ass Laden with Sponges, and the Ass Laden with Salt
    The Lion and the Rat
    The Dove and the Ant
    The Astrologer Who let Himself Fall into the Well
    The Hare and the Frogs
    The Two Bulls and the Frog
    The Peacock Complaining to Juno
    The Bat and the Two Weasels
    The Bird Wounded by an Arrow
    The Miller, his Son, and the Ass
    The Cock and the Fox
    The Frogs Who Asked for a King
    The Dog and Her Companion
    The Fox and the Grapes
    The Eagle and the Beetle
    The Raven Who Wished to Imitate the Eagle
    The Wolves and the Sheep
    The Cat Changed into a Woman
    Philomel and Progne
    The Lion and the Ass
    The Cat and the Old Rat
    A Will Interpreted by Æsop
    The Lion in Love
    The Fox and the Goat
    The Shepherd and the Sea
    The Drunkard and His Wife
    King Caster and the Members
    The Monkey and the Dolphin
    The Eagle, the Wild Sow, and the Cat
    The Miser Who Lost His Treasure
    The Gout and the Spider
    The Eye of the Master
    The Wolf and the Stork
    The Lion Defeated by Man
    The Swan and the Cook
    The Wolf, the Goat, and the Kid
    The Wolf, the Mother, and the Child
    The Lion Grown Old
    The Drowned Woman
    The Weasel in the Granary
    The Lark and Her Little Ones With the Owner of a Field
    The Fly and the Ant
    The Gardener and his Master
    The Woodman and Mercury
    The Ass and the Little Dog
    Man and the Wooden Idol
    The Jay Dressed in Peacock's Plumes
    The Little Fish and the Fisherman
    Battle Between the Rats and Weasles
    The Camel and the Drift-Wood
    The Frog and the Rat
    The Old Woman and Her Servants
    The Animals Sending a Tribute to Alexander
    The Horse Wishing to be Revenged on the Stag
    The Fox and the Bust
    The Horse and the Wolf
    The Saying of Socrates
    The Old Man and His Children
    The Oracle and the Impious Man
    The Mountain in Labour
    Fortune and the Little Child
    The Earthen Pot and the Iron Pot
    The Hare's Ears
    The Fox with His Tail Cut Off
    The Satyr and the Passer-By
    The Doctors
    The Labouring Man and His Children
    The Hen with the Golden Eggs
    The Ass that Carried the Relics
    The Serpent and the File
    The Hare and the Partridge
    The Stag and the Vine
    The Lion Going to War
    The Ass in the Lion's Skin
    The Eagle and the Owl
    The Shepherd and the Lion
    The Lion and the Hunter
    Phœbus and Boreas
    The Bear and the Two Friends
    Jupiter and the Farmer
    The Stag Viewing Himself in the Stream
    The Cockerel, the Cat, and the Little Rat
    The Fox, the Monkey, and the Other Animals
    The Mule That Boasted of His Family
    The Old Man and the Ass
    The Countryman and the Serpent
    The Hare and the Tortoise
    The Sick Lion and the Fox
    The Ass and His Masters
    The Sun and the Frogs
    The Carter Stuck in the Mud
    The Doc and the Shadow
    The Bird-Catcher, the Hawk, and the Skylark
    The Horse and the Ass
    The Charlatan
    The Young Widow
    Discord
    The Animals Sick of the Plague
    The Rat Who Retired From the World
    The Heron
    The Man Badly Married
    The Maiden
    The Wishes
    The Vultures and the Pigeons
    The Court of the Lion
    The Milk-Maid and the Milk-Pail
    The Curate and the Corpse
    The Man Who Runs After Fortune, and the Man Who Waits for Her
    The Two Fowls
    The Coach and the Fly
    The Ingratitude and Injustice of Men Towards Fortune
    An Animal in the Moon
    The Fortune-Teller
    The Cobbler and the Banker
    The Cat, the Weasel, and the Little Rabbit
    The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox
    The Head and the Tail of the Serpent
    The Dog Which Carried Round His Neck His Master's Dinner
    Death and the Dying Man
    The Power of Fables
    The Bear and the Amateur of Gardening
    The Man and the Flea
    The Woman and the Secret
    Tircis and Amaranth
    The Joker and the Fishes
    The Rat and the Oyster
    The Two Friends
    The Pig, the Goat, and the Sheep
    The Rat and the Elephant
    The Funeral or the Lioness
    The Bashaw and the Merchant
    The Horoscope
    The Torrent and the River
    The Ass and the Dog
    The Two Dogs and the Dead Ass
    The Advantage of Being Clever
    The Wolf and the Hunter
    Jupiter and the Thunderbolts
    The Falcon and the Capon
    The Two Pigeons
    Education
    The Madman Who Sold Wisdom
    The Cat and the Rat
    Democritus and the Anderanians
    The Oyster and Its Claimants
    The Fraudulent Trustee
    Jupiter and the Traveller
    The Ape and the Leopard
    The Acorn and the Gourd
    The School-Boy, the Pedant, and the Nursery Gardener
    The Cat and the Fox
    The Sculptor and the Statue of Jupiter
    The Mouse Metamorphosed Into a Girl
    The Monkey and the Cat
    The Wolf and the Starved Dog
    The Wax Candle
    "Not Too Much"
    The Two Rats, the Fox, and the Egg
    The Cormorant and the Fishes
    The Husband, the Wife, and the Robber
    The Shepherd and the King
    The Two Men and the Treasure
    The Shepherd and His Flock
    The Kite and the Nightingale
    The Fish and the Shepherd Who Played on the Clarionet
    The Man and the Snake
    The Tortoise and the Two Ducks
    The Two Adventurers and the Talisman
    The Miser and his Friend
    The Wolf and the Peasants
    The Rabbits
    The Swallow and the Spider
    The Partridge and the Fowls
    The Lion
    The Dog Whose Ears Were Cut
    The Two Parrots, the Monarch, and His Son
    The Peasant of the Danube
    The Lioness and She-Bear
    The Merchant, the Nobleman, the Shepherd, and the King's Son
    The Old Man and the Three Young Men
    The Gods as Instructors of Jupiter's Son
    The Owl and the Mice
    The Companions of Ulysses
    The Farmer, the Dog, and the Fox
    The Dream of an Inhabitant of Mogul
    The Two Goats
    The Lion, the Ape, and the Two Asses
    The Wolf and the Fox
    The Sick Stag
    The Cat and the Two Sparrows
    The Miser and the Ape
    To the Duke of Burgundy
    The Old Cat and the Young Mouse
    The Bat, the Bush, and the Duck
    The Eagle and the Magpie
    The Quarrel of the Dogs and the Cats; and, Also, That of the Cats and
        the Mice
    Love and Folly
    The Wolf and the Fox
    The Crab and Its Daughter
    The Forest and the Woodman
    The Fox, the Flies, and the Hedge-Hog
    The Hawk, the King, and the Falcon
    The Fox and the Turkeys
    The Crow, the Gazelle, the Tortoise, and the Rat
    The English Fox
    The Ape
    The Fox, the Wolf, and the Horse
    The League of the Rats
    A Scythian Philosopher
    Daphnis and Alcimadura
    The Elephant and Jupiter's Monkey
    The Madman and the Philosopher
    The Frogs and the Sun
    The Arbitrator, Almoner, and Hermit




    LIST OF FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.


    The Grasshopper and the Ant
    The Two Mules
    The Swallow and the Little Birds
    The Town Rat and the Country Rat
    The Wolf and the Lamb
    The Robbers and the Ass
    Death and the Woodcutter
    The Wolf Turned Shepherd
    The Oak and the Reed
    The Council Held by the Rats
    The Lion and the Gnat
    The Lion and the Rat
    The Hare and the Frogs
    The Peacock Complaining to Juno
    The Miller, His Son, and the Ass
    The Frogs Who Asked For a King
    The Fox and the Grapes
    The Wolves and the Sheep
    Philomel and Progne
    The Cat and the Old Rat
    The Lion in Love
    The Shepherd and the Sea
    The Monkey and the Dolphin
    The Miser Who Lost His Treasure
    The Eye of the Master
    The Wolf, the Mother, and the Child
    The Lark and Her Little Ones
    The Woodman and Mercury
    The Little Fish and the Fisherman
    The Old Woman and Her Servants
    The Horse and the Wolf
    Fortune and the Little Child
    The Doctors
    The Hen With the Golden Eggs
    The Stag and the Vine
    The Eagle and the Owl
    The Bear and the Two Friends
    The Stag Viewing Himself in the Stream
    The Countryman and the Serpent
    The Sick Lion and the Fox
    The Carter Stuck in the Mud
    The Young Widow
    The Animals Sick of the Plague
    The Maiden
    The Vultures and the Pigeons
    The Milkmaid and the Milk-Pail
    The Two Fowls
    An Animal in the Moon
    The Fortune-Teller (To face page)
    The Cobbler and the Banker
    The Lion, the Wolf, and the Fox
    The Dog and His Master's Dinner
    The Bear and the Amateur of Gardening
    Tircis and Amaranth
    The Rat and the Elephant
    The Bashaw and the Merchant
    The Torrent and the River
    The Two Dogs and the Dead Ass
    The Wolf and the Hunter
    The Two Pigeons
    The Madman Who Sold Wisdom
    The Oyster and Its Claimants
    Jupiter and the Traveller
    The Cat and the Fox
    The Monkey and the Cat
    The Two Rats, the Fox, and the Egg
    The Cormorant and the Fishes
    The Shepherd and the King
    The Fish and the Shepherd Who Played on the Clarionet
    The Two Adventurers and the Talisman
    The Rabbits
    The Lion
    The Peasant of the Danube
    The Old Man and the Three Young Men
    The Owl and the Mice
    The Companions of Ulysses
    The Two Goats
    The Sick Stag
    The Eagle and the Magpie
    Love and Folly
    The Forest and the Woodman
    The Fox and the Turkeys
    The English Fox
    The League of the Rats
    Daphnis and Alcimadura
    The Arbitrator, Almoner, and Hermit




AN ESSAY ON THE LIFE AND WORKS

OF

JEAN DE LA FONTAINE.


There are some writers the facts about whom can never be entirely told,
because they are inexhaustible, and speaking of whom we do not fear
to be blamed for repetition, because, though well known, they furnish
topics which never weary. La Fontaine is one of this class. No poet
has been praised oftener, or by more able critics, and of no poet has
the biography been so frequently written, and with such affectionate
minuteness. Nevertheless, it is certain that there will yet arise fresh
critics and new biographers, who will be as regardless as ourselves of
the fact that the subject has been so frequently enlarged upon. And
why, indeed, should we refuse to ourselves, or forbid to others, the
pleasure of speaking of an old friend of our childhood, whose memory is
always fresh and always dear?

This truly worthy man was born in Château-Thierry, a little town of
Champagne, where his father, Charles de la Fontaine, was a supervisor
of woods and forests. His mother, Françoise Piloux, was the daughter
of a mayor of Coulommiers. An amiable but careless child, he was lazy
in his studies, and certainly did not display, by the direction of
his earlier inclinations, the germs of his future genius. At twenty
years of age, after the perusal of some religious works, he formed the
idea that his vocation was the Church, and entered the seminary of
Saint Magloire, where, however, he remained only one year. His example
was followed by his brother Claude, with this difference, that the
latter persevered to the end. On quitting the seminary, La Fontaine,
in the paternal mansion, led that life of idleness and pleasure which
so frequently, especially in the provinces, enervates young men of
family. To bring him back to a more orderly course of life, his father
procured him a wife, and gave him the reversion of his office. He was
then twenty-six years of age, and the demon of poetry had not yet taken
possession of him. La Fontaine never hurried himself about anything.

The accidental recitation in his presence of an ode by Malherbe aroused
in his soul, which had hitherto been devoted to pleasure and idleness,
a taste for poetry. He read the whole of Malherbe's writings with
enthusiasm, and endeavoured to imitate him. Malherbe alone would have
spoiled La Fontaine, had not Pintrel and Maucroix, two of his friends,
led him to the study of the true models. La Fontaine himself has left
a confession of these first flights of his muse. Plato and Plutarch,
amongst the ancients, were his favourite authors; but he could read
them only by the aid of translations, as he had never studied Greek.
Horace, Virgil, and Terence, whose writings he could approach in the
original, also charmed him. Of modern authors his favourites were
Rabelais, Marot, De Periers, Mathurin, Régnier, and D'Urfé, whose
"Astræa" was his especial delight.

Marriage had not by any means fixed his inconstant tastes. Marie
Héricart, whom he had been induced to marry in 1647, was endowed with
beauty and intellect, but was unsupplied with those solid qualities,
love