The Original Fables of La Fontaine | Page 3

stuffs
himself night and morning, and simply laughs at traps and snares. As
for stones and sticks they make no difference whatever to him. He must

be enchanted."
"Enchanted!" cried the landlord. "I defy enchantment! Were he the
devil himself old Towler would soon rout him out in spite of his tricks.
I'll rid you of him, my man, never fear!"
"And when?" asked the man.
"Oh, to-morrow, without more delay!"
The affair being thus arranged, on the morrow came the landlord with
all his following. "First of all," he said, "how about breakfast? Your
chickens are tender I'll be bound. Come here, my dear," he added,
addressing the man's daughter, and then, to her father, "When are you
going to let her marry? Hasn't a son-in-law come on the scene yet? My
dear fellow, this is a thing that positively must be done you know,
you'll have to put your hand in your pocket to some purpose." So
saying he sat down beside the damsel, took her hand, held her by the
arm, toyed with her fichu, and took other silly and trifling liberties
which the girl resented with great self-respect, whilst the father grew a
little uneasy in his mind.
Nevertheless, the cooking went on. There was quite a run on the
kitchen.
"How ripe are your hams? They look good."
"Sir," replied the flattered host, "they are yours."
"Oh, really now! Well I'll take them, and that right gladly."
The landlord and his family, his dogs, his horses, and his men-servants,
all take breakfast with hearty appetites. He assumes the host's place and
privileges, drinks his wine and caresses his daughter. After this a crowd
of hunters take seats at the breakfast table.
Now everybody is lively and busy with preparations for the hunt. They
wind the horns to such purpose that the good man is dumbfounded by
the din. Worse than that they make terrible havoc in the poor garden.
Good-bye to all the neat rows and beds! Good-bye to the chickory and
the leeks! Good-bye to all the pot-herbs!
The hare lies hidden under the leaves of a great cabbage, but being
discovered is quickly started, whereupon he rushes to a hole--nay,
worse than a hole, a great and horrible gap in the poor hedge, made by
the landlord's order, so that they might all burst out of the garden in
fine style; for it would have looked ridiculous for them to ride out at the
gate.

The poor man objected. "This is fine fun for princes, no doubt----"; but
they let him talk, whilst dogs and men together did more harm in one
hour than all the hares in the province would have done in a century.
Little princes, settle your own quarrels amongst yourselves. It is
madness to have recourse to kings. You should never let them engage
in your wars, nor even enter your domains.

IV
THE MAN AND HIS IMAGE
(BOOK I.--No. 11)
Once there was a man who loved himself very much, and who
permitted himself no rivals in that love. He thought his face and figure
the handsomest in all the world. Anything in the shape of a mirror that
could show him his own likeness he took care to avoid; for he did not
want to be reminded that perhaps he was over-rating his beauty. For
this reason he hated looking-glasses and accused them of being false.
He made a very great mistake in this respect; but that he did not mind,
being quite content to live in the happiness the mistake afforded him.
To cure him of so grievous an error, officious Fate managed matters in
such a way that wherever he turned his eyes they would fall on one of
those mute little counsellors that ladies carry and appeal to when they
are anxious about their appearance. He found mirrors in the houses;
mirrors in the shops; mirrors in the pockets of gallants; mirrors even as
ornaments on waist-belts of ladies.
What was he to do--this poor Narcissus? He thought to avoid all such
things by going far away from haunts of mankind, where he should
never have to face a mirror again. But in the woods to which he
retreated a clear rivulet ran. Into this he happened to look and--saw
himself again. Angrily he told himself that his eyes had been deluded
by an idle fancy. Henceforth he would keep away from the water! This
he tried his utmost to do; but who can resist the beauty of a woodland
stream? There he was and remained, always with that which he had
determined to shun.
My meaning is easily seen. It applies to everybody; for everybody takes
some joy in harbouring this very error. The man in love with himself
stands for the soul of