Explore Jean de La Fontaine Fables, a timeless collection of classic moral stories featuring clever animals, witty characters, and valuable life lessons. Written by Jean de La Fontaine, these famous fables continue to entertain and educate children and readers of all ages through imaginative storytelling and wisdom.
The way that they started made everyone stare.
A Miller and Son once set out for the fair,
To sell a fine ass they had brought up with care;
And the way that they started made everyone stare.
An Eagle swooped from out the sky, and carried off a sheep. A Raven seeing him, said: "I Could do that too if...Of all that well-fed...
I'm known as a Heron as such, I live high.
A long-legged Heron, with long neck and beak,
Set out for a stroll by the bank of a creek.
I'll run you a race if you dare.
Said the Tortoise one day to the Hare:
"I'll run you a race if you dare.
I'll bet you cannot
Arrive at that spot
As quickly as I can get there."
Jocko the Monkey, Mouser--his chum, the Cat,
Had the same master. Both were sleek and fat,
And mischievous. If anything went wrong,
The neighbors where not blamed. Be sure of that.
Old Father Fox, who was known to be mean, Invited Dame Stork in to dinner. There was nothing but soup that could scarcely be seen:
An Ass in The Lion's skin arrayed
Made everybody fear.
Rosy and ripe, and ready to box,
The grapes hang high o'er the hungry Fox.--
He pricks up his ears, and his eye he cocks.
An Ant who in a brook would drink
Fell off the bank. He tried
To swim, and felt his courage sink--
This ocean seemed so wide.
But for a dove who flew above
He would have drowned and died.
The Lion once said to the Gnat: "You brat,
Clear out just as quick as you can, now--s'cat!
If you meddle with me
I will not guarantee
That you won't be slammed perfectly flat--
D'ye see?"
A City Mouse, with ways polite,
A Country Mouse invited
To sup with him and spend the night.
Said Country Mouse: "De--lighted!"
In truth it proved a royal treat,
With everything that's good to eat.
Mr. Crow was perched upon a limb, And Reynard the Fox looked up at him; For the Crow held in his great big beak A morsel the Fox would go far to seek.
Once there was a country bumpkin
Who observed a great big pumpkin
To a slender stem attached;
While upon an oak...
There he saw another one.
A foolish Dog, who carried in his jaw
To this lesson in greed,
Pray, little ones, heed:
The Cat and the Fox once took a walk together,
Sharpening their wits with talk about the weather
And as their walking sharpened appetite, too;
They also took some things they had no right to.
Cream, that is so delicious when it thickens,
Pleased the Cat best. The Fox liked little chickens.
Fables in Rhyme for Little Folks Adapted from the French of La Fontaine. Written by, W. T. Larned Illustrated by, John Rae. New York, July 1918.
There was a little Frog Whose home was in a bog ,And he worried 'cause he wasn't big enough. He sees an ox and cries: "That's just about...