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A Bat went headlong plunging down
Into a Weasel’s nest; and no sooner was she there,
Than the other, long enraged against mice,
Rushed to devour her.
“What? you dare,” she said, “show yourself before my eyes,
After your race has tried to harm me!
Are you not a Mouse? Speak without deceit.
Yes, you are one, or else I am not a Weasel.
– Forgive me,” said the poor little thing,
“That is not my profession.
I, a Mouse! Some wicked ones told you these tales.
Thanks to the Author of the Universe,
I am a Bird; see my wings:
Long live the folk that cleaves the airs!”
Her reason pleased, and seemed a good one.
She managed so well that she was granted
Liberty to withdraw.
Two days later, our scatterbrain
Blindly goes and thrusts herself
Into another Weasel’s home, to birds an enemy.
There she is once again in danger of her life.
The lady of the house with her long muzzle
Was going to gobble her up as a Bird,
When she protested that she was being wronged:
“I, pass for such! You are not looking closely.
What makes the Bird? It is the plumage.
I am a Mouse: long live the Rats!
May Jupiter confound the Cats!”
By this clever retort
She saved her life twice over.
Many have been found who, shifting their scarf
With dangers, like her, have often thumbed their nose.
The Sage says, according to the people:
“Long live the King, long live the League.”
Jean de La Fontaine
Translation generated by Poésies 123 with assistance from the deepseek-chat artificial-intelligence model.
Text published on Poésies 123: https://www.poesies123.com/en/fable-the-bat-and-the-two-weasels-jean-de-la-fontaine/