Fables for kids
jean de lafontaine
Copyright © 2014 by Leen Sabti All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. Imaginary Press 1233 Pennsylvania Avenue San Francisco, CA 94909 www.imaginarypress.com Ordering Information: Quantity sales. Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address above. Orders by U.S. trade bookstores and wholesalers. Please contact Big Distribution: Tel: (800) 800-8000; Fax: (800) 800-8001 or visit www.bigbooks. com. Printed in the United States of America
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Content: • The Cicada & the Ant................................. 8 • The Crow & the Fox.................................. 10 • The Frog who Aspired to Become as Big as the Ox......................... 12 • The Two Mules........................................... 14 • The Wolf & the Dog................................... 16 • The Heifer, the Goat & the Sheep in Company with the Lion............................................... 18 • The Swallow & the Little Bird............................................. 22
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Let’s Get
Started
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The Cicada & the Ant The Cicada, having sung All summer long, Found herself wanting When the north wind came. Not a single morsel Of fly or tiny worm. She went begging for food To her neighbour the Ant, Asking her to lend her Just a few grains to get by Until the next season. "I will pay you back, she said, Before August, animal's honor, Interest and principal." The Ant is no lender: This is the least of her faults. "What were you doing during the warm days? She said to this borrower. --Night and day no matter what I was singing, like it or not. --You were singing? I'm very glad: Very well, start dancing now."
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The Crow & the Fox Master Crow perched on a tree, Was holding a cheese in his beak. Master Fox attracted by the smell Said something like this: «Well, Hello Mister Crow! How beautiful you are! how nice you seem to me! Really, if your voice Is like your plumage, You are the phoenix of all the inhabitants of these woods.» At these words, the Crow is overjoyed. And in order to show off his beautiful voice, He opens his beak wide, lets his prey fall The Fox grabs it, and says: «My good man, Learn that every flatterer Lives at the expense of the one who listens to him. This lesson, without doubt, is well worth a cheese.» The Crow, ashamed and embarrassed, Swore, but a little late, that he would not be taken again.
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The Frog who Aspired to Become as Big as the Ox A Frog espied an Ox that seemed to her of a noble size. She, no bigger than an egg, Envious, stretches, puffs up and labours To match the animal in size, Saying: «Hey watch me sister; Is this enough? tell me; am I there yet? -No way! -How about now? -Not at all. - Is that it ? You aren›t even close.» The puny, pretentious creature Swelled up so much that she croaked. The world is full of people who aren›t too wise: People with some money wish to build like royalty, Every minor prince has ambassadors, Every marquis wants servants.
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The Two Mules Two mules were bearing on their backs, One, oats; the other, silver of the tax. The latter glorying in his load, March’d proudly forward on the road; And, from the jingle of his bell, ‘Twas plain he liked his burden well. But in a wild-wood glen A band of robber men Rush’d forth upon the twain. Well with the silver pleased, They by the bridle seized The treasure-mule so vain. Poor mule! in struggling to repel His ruthless foes, he fell Stabb’d through; and with a bitter sighing, He cried, ‘Is this the lot they promised me? My humble friend from danger free, While, weltering in my gore, I’m dying?’ ‘My friend,’ his fellow-mule replied, ‘It is not well to have one’s work too high. If thou hadst been a miller’s drudge, as I, Thou wouldst not thus have died.
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The Heifer, the Goat & the Sheep in Company with the Lion The heifer, the goat, and their sister the sheep, Compacted their earnings in common to keep, ‘Tis said, in time past, with a lion, who sway’d Full lordship o’er neighbors, of whatever grade. The goat, as it happened, a stag having snared, Sent off to the rest, that the beast might be shared. All gathered; the lion first counts on his claws, And says, ‘We’ll proceed to divide with our paws The stag into pieces, as fixed by our laws.’ This done, he announces part first as his own; ‘’Tis mine,’ he says, ‘truly, as lion alone.’ To such a decision there’s nougat to be said, As he who has made it is doubtless the head. ‘Well, also, the second to me should belong; ‘Tis mine, be it known, by the right of the strong. Again, as the bravest, the third must be mine. To touch but the fourth whoso maketh a sign, I’ll choke him to death In the space of a breath!’
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The Wolf & the Dog A prowling wolf, whose shaggy skin (So strict the watch of dogs had been) Hid little but his bones, Once met a mastiff dog astray. A prouder, fatter, sleeker Tray, No human mortal owns. Sir Wolf in famish’d plight, Would fain have made a ration Upon his fat relation; But then he first must fight; And well the dog seem’d able To save from wolfish table His carcass snug and tight. So, then, in civil conversation The wolf express’d his admiration Of Tray’s fine case. Said Tray, politely, ‘Yourself, good sir, may be as sightly; Quit but the woods, advised by me. For all your fellows here, I see, Are shabby wretches, lean and gaunt, Belike to die of haggard want. With such a pack, of course it follows, One fights for every bit he swallows Come, then, with me, and share On equal terms our princely fare.’ 18
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But what with you Has one to do? Inquires the wolf. ‘Light work indeed,’ Replies the dog; ‘you only need To bark a little now and then, To chase off duns and beggar men, To fawn on friends that come or go forth, Your master please, and so forth; For which you have to eat All sorts of well-cook’d meat-Cold pullets, pigeons, savoury messes-Besides unnumber’d fond caresses.’ The wolf, by force of appetite, Accepts the terms outright, Tears glistening in his eyes. But faring on, he spies A gall’d spot on the mastiff’s neck. ‘What’s that?’ he cries. ‘O, nothing but a speck.’ ‘A speck?’ ‘Ay, ay; ‘tis not enough to pain me; Perhaps the collar’s mark by which they chain me.’ ‘Chain! chain you! What! run you not, then, Just where you please, and when?’ ‘Not always, sir; but what of that?’ ‘Enough for me, to spoil your fat! It ought to be a precious price Which could to servile chains entice; For me, I’ll shun them while I’ve wit.’ So ran Sir Wolf, and runneth yet. 21
The Swallow & the Little Birds By voyages in air, With constant thought and care, Much knowledge had a swallow gain’d, Which she for public use retain’d, The slightest storms she well foreknew, And told the sailors ere they blew. A farmer sowing hemp, once having found, She gather’d all the little birds around, And said, ‘My friends, the freedom let me take To prophesy a little, for your sake, Against this dangerous seed. Though such a bird as I Knows how to hide or fly, You birds a caution need. See you that waving hand? It scatters on the land What well may cause alarm. ‘Twill grow to nets and snares, To catch you unawares, And work you fatal harm! Great multitudes I fear, Of you, my birdies dear, That falling seed, so little, Will bring to cage or kettle! But though so perilous the plot, You now may easily defeat it: All lighting on the seeded spot, 22
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Just scratch up every seed and eat it.’ The little birds took little heed, So fed were they with other seed. Anon the field was seen Bedeck’d in tender green. The swallow’s warning voice was heard again: ‘My friends, the product of that deadly grain, Seize now, and pull it root by root, Or surely you’ll repent its fruit.’ ‘False, babbling prophetess,’ says one, ‘You’d set us at some pretty fun! To pull this field a thousand birds are needed, While thousands more with hemp are seeded.’ The crop now quite mature, The swallow adds, ‘Thus far I’ve fail’d of cure; I’ve prophesied in vain Against this fatal grain: It’s grown. And now, my bonny birds, Though you have disbelieved my words Thus far, take heed at last,-When you shall see the seed-time past, And men, no crops to labour for, On birds shall wage their cruel war, With deadly net and noose; Of flying then beware, Unless you take the air, Like woodcock, crane, or goose. But stop; you’re not in plight 24
For such adventurous flight, O’er desert waves and sands, In search of other lands. Hence, then, to save your precious souls, Remaineth but to say, ‘Twill be the safest way, To chuck yourselves in holes.’ Before she had thus far gone, The birdlings, tired of hearing, And laughing more than fearing, Set up a greater jargon Than did, before the Trojan slaughter, The Trojans round old Priam’s daughter. And many a bird, in prison grate, Lamented soon a Trojan fate. ‘Tis thus we heed no instincts but our own; Believe no evil till the evil’s done.
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The end
Fables for kids
jean de lafontaine A collection of stories suites kids ages 7-10 by the legend French writer jean de lafontaine Copyright Š 2014 by Leen Sabti
$8.50 ISBN 123-4-567-8901-2