Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine | Page 5

he'd seen he
greatly wish'd to tell;
But, since to princes full respect is due,
And
what concerns them, howsoever true,
If thought displeasing, should
not be dispos'd
In terms direct, but obviously dispos'd,
To catch the
mind, Joconde at ease detail'd,
From days of yore to those he now
bewail'd,
The names of emp'rors and of kings, whose brows,
By
wily wives, were crown'd with leafless boughs! And who, without
repining, view'd their lot,
Nor bad made worse, but thought things
best forgot. E'en I, who now your majesty address,
Continued he, am
sorry to confess,
The very day I left my native earth,
To wait upon a prince of royal birth,
Was forced t'acknowledge
cuckoldom among
The gods who rule the matrimonial throng,
And
sacrifice thereto with aching heart
Cornuted heads dire torments oft
impart:
THE tale he then detail'd, that rais'd his spleen; And what within the
closet he had seen;
The king replied, I will not be so rude,
To
question what so clearly you have view'd;
Yet, since 'twere better full
belief to gain,
A glimpse of such a fact I should obtain,
Pray bring
me thither; instantly our wight;
Astolphus led, where both his ears

and sight
Full proof receiv'd, which struck the prince with awe; Who
stood amaz'd at what he heard and saw.
But soon reflection's
all-convincing pow'r
Induced the king vexation to devour;
True
courtier-like, who dire misfortunes braves,
Feels sprouting horns, yet
smiles at fools and knaves: Our wives, said he, a pretty trick have
play'd,
And shamefully the marriage bed betray'd;
Let us the
compliment return, my friend,
And round the country our amours
extend;
But, in our plan the better to succeed,
Our names we'll
change; no servants we shall need;-- For your relation I desire to pass,

So you'll true freedom use; then with a lass
We more at ease shall
feel, more pleasure gain;
Than if attended by my usual train.
JOCONDE with joy the king's proposal heard;
On which the latter
with his friend conferr'd;
Said he, 'twere surely right to have a book,

In which to place the names of those we hook,
The whole arrang'd
according to their rank,
And I'll engage no page remains a blank,

But ere we leave the range of our design,
E'en scrup'lous dames shall
to our wish incline,
Our persons handsome, with engaging air,
And
sprightly, brilliant wit no trifling share,-- 'Twere strange, possessing
such engaging charms,
They should not tumble freely in our arms.
THE baggage ready, and the paper-book,
our smart gallants the road
together took,
But 'twould be vain to number their amours;
With
beauties, Cupid favoured them by scores;
Blessed, if only seen by
either swain,
And doubly bless'd who could attention gain:
Nor
wife of alderman, nor wife of mayor,
Of justice, nor of governor was
there,
Who did not anxiously desire her name
Might straight be
entered in the book of fame!
Hearts, which before were thought as
cold as ice, Now warm'd at once and melted in a trice.
SOME infidel, I fancy, in my ear
Would whisper-probabilities, I fear,

Are rather wanting to support the fact;
However perfectly gallants
may act,
To gain a heart requires full many a day

If more be
requisite I cannot say;
'Tis not my plan to dupe or young or old,
But

such to me, howe'er the tale is told,
And Ariosto never truth forsakes;

Yet, if at ev'ry step a writer takes,
He's closely question'd as to time
and place,
He ne'er can end his work with easy grace.
To those,
from whom just credence I receive,
Their tales I promise fully to
believe.
AT length, when our advent'rers round had play'd, And danc'd with
ev'ry widow, wife, and maid,
The full blown lily and the tender rose,

Astolphus said, though clearly I suppose,
We can as many hearts
securely link,
As e'er we like, yet better now, I think,
To stop a
while in some delightful spot,
And that before satiety we've got;
For
true it is, with love as with our meat;
If we, variety of dishes eat,

The doctors tell us inj'ry will ensue,
And too much raking none can
well pursue.
Let us some pleasing fair-one then engage,
To serve us
both:--enough she'll prove I'll wage.
JOCONDE at once replied, with all my heart,
And I a lady know
who'll take the part;
She's beautiful; possesses store of wit;
And is
the wife of one above a cit.
WITH such to meddle would be indiscreet,
Replied the king, more
charms we often meet,
Beneath a chambermaid or laundress' dress,

Than any rich coquette can well possess.
Besides, with those, less
form is oft requir'd,
While dames of quality must be admir'd;
Their
whims complied with, though suspicions rise; And ev'ry hour produces
fresh surprise,
But this sweet charmer of inferior birth
A treasure
proves; a source of bliss on earth.
No trouble she to carry here nor
there;
No balls she visits, and requires no care;
The conquest easy,
we may talk or not;
The only difficulty we have got,
Is how to find
one, we may faithful view;
So let us choose a girl, to love quite new.
SINCE these, replied the YOUTH, your thoughts appear, What think
you of our landlord's daughter here?
That she's a perfect virgin I've no
doubt,

Nor can we find a