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Click here to see the INDEX
of the Fables
Jean de La Fontaine
(c. July 8, 1621 - April 13, 1695), French poet, was born at
Château-Thierry in Champagne.
His Fables of animals and everyday life are masterworks of
French literature and took their inspiration from Aesop, Horace
and ancient Indian literature such as the Panchatantra:
"This is the second book of fables that I present to the
public... I must acknowledge that the greatest part is inspired
by Pilpay, the Indian sage." ("Je dirai par reconnaissance que
j’en dois la plus grande partie à Pilpay sage indien.") — Jean
de La Fontaine, Avertissement to the Second Compilation of
Fables (1678).
The first collection of 124 Fables Choisies had appeared
March 31, 1668, wisely dedicated to "Monseigneur" the Dauphin,
the six-year-old grandson of Louis XIV, and were choice in every
sense: utterly correct, balanced, choice in rhyme, natural and
easy, droll, witty, knowing, sage, utterly French.
They were an immediate success. Until recently, well-educated
French people could quote hundreds of lines from La Fontaine. A
set of postage stamps celebrating La Fontaine and the Fables was
issued by France in 1995.
At intervals through the rest of his life, new editions with
more Fables appeared. The last edition came out in 1693. In 1683
he became a member of the Académie française. He died in Paris,
and is interred at
Père Lachaise Cemetery. Here is the index of some of Jean
de la Fontaine's Fables. The English is on the left with the
French on the right. Both English and French are presented on
the same page. The text is set side by side and spaced so that
similar parts are directly opposite each other. The
translation is not literal. That means it is not a word for word
translation... although many words, of, course are the same, the
translator into English has rather preferred to express the
"meaning and sense" of the fable. |
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