Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine

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Title: The Tales and Novels, Complete
Author: Jean de La Fontaine
Release Date: October 29, 2006 [EBook #5300]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
? START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TALES AND NOVELS, COMPLETE ***
Produced by David Widger
THE TALES AND NOVELS
OF
J. DE LA FONTAINE
TABLE:
LA FONTAINE'S LIFE?PREFACE?Joconde?The Cudgelled and Contented Cuckold?The Husband Confessor?The Cobbler?The Peasant and His Angry Lord?The Muleteer?The Servant Girl Justified?The Three Gossips' Wager?The Old Man's Calendar?The Avaricious Wife and Tricking Gallant?The Jealous Husband?The Gascon Punished?The Princess Betrothed to the King of Garba?The Magick Cup?The Falcon?The Little Dog?The Eel Pie?The Magnificent?The Ephesian Matron?Belphegor?The Little Bell?The Glutton?The Two Friends?The Country Justice?Alice Sick?The Kiss Returned?Sister Jane?An Imitation of Anacreon?Another Imitation of Anacreon?PREFACE (To The Second Book)?Friar Philip's Geese?Richard Minutolo?The Monks of Catalonia?The Cradle?St. Julian's Prayer?The Countryman Who Sought His Calf?Hans Carvel's Ring?The Hermit?The Convent Gardener of Lamporechio?The Mandrake?The Rhemese?The Amorous Courtesan?Nicaise?The Progress of Wit?The Sick Abbess?The Truckers?The Case of Conscience?The Devil of Pope-fig Island?Feronde?The Psalter?King Candaules and the Doctor of Laws?The Devil in Hell?Neighbour Peter's Mare?The Spectacles?The Bucking Tub?The Impossible Thing?The Picture?The Pack-Saddle?The Ear-maker, and the Mould-mender?The River Scamander?The Confidant Without Knowing It, or the?Stratagem?The Clyster?The Indiscreet Confession?The Contract?The Quid Pro Quo, or the Mistakes?The Dress-maker?The Gascon?The Pitcher?To Promise is One Thing, to Keep It, Another?The Nightingale?Epitaph of La Fontaine
LIFE OF
JEAN DE LA FONTAINE
Jean de La Fontaine was born on the 8th of July, 1621, at?Chateau-Thierry, and his family held a respectable position there.
His education was neglected, but he had received that genius which makes amends for all. While still young the tedium of society led him into retirement, from which a taste for independence afterwards withdrew him.
He had reached the age of twenty-two, when a few sounds from the lyre of Malherbe, heard by accident, awoke in him the muse which slept.
He soon became acquainted with the best models: Pheedrus, Virgil, Horace and Terence amongst the Latins; Plutarch, Homer and Plato, amongst the Greeks; Rabelais, Marot and d'Urfe, amongst the French; Tasso, Ariosto and Boccaccio, amongst the Italians.
He married, in compliance with the wishes of his family, a beautiful, witty and chaste woman, who drove him to despair.
He was sought after and cherished by all distinguished men of letters. But it was two Ladies who kept him from experiencing the pangs of poverty.
La Fontaine, if there remain anything of thee, and if it be permitted to thee for a moment to soar above all time; see the names of La Sabliere and of Hervard pass with thine to the ages to come!
The life of La Fontaine was, so to speak, only one of continual distraction. In the midst of society, he was absent from it. Regarded almost as an imbecile by the crowd, this clever author, this amiable man, only permitted himself to be seen at intervals and by friends.
He had few books and few friends.
Amongst a large number of works that he has left, everyone knows his fables and his tales, and the circumstances of his life are written in a hundred places.
He died on the 16th of March, 1695.
Let us keep silence about his last moments, for fear of irritating those who never forgive.
His fellow-citizens honour him in his posterity to this day.
Long after his death, foreigners went to visit the room which he had occupied.
Once a year, I shall go to visit his tomb.
On that day, I shall tear up a fable of La Mothe, a tale of Vergier, or several of the best pages of Grecourt.
He was buried in the cemetery of Saint-Joseph, by the side of Moliere.
That spot will always be held sacred by poets and people of taste.
THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE
TO THE