The Magpie and the Dove

Fable by Jean-Pierre Claris de Florian Period 18th century

A dove had built her nest
right beside the nest of a magpie.
That is what is called keeping bad company,
true; but that is not the point for now.
In the turtle-dove’s home
there was nothing but love and happiness;
in the other nest always quarrels,
eggs broken, din and uproar.
When the magpie was beaten by her spouse,
she would come to her neighbor’s,
there she chattered, cried, complained,
and made the long review
of the faults of her dear spouse:
he is proud, demanding, harsh, hot-tempered, jealous;
besides, I know full well he goes to see the crows;
and a hundred other such things
that she said in her wrath.
But you, replies the turtle-dove,
are you without faults? No, I have some, she tells her;
I confide it to you between ourselves:
in conduct, in words, I am rather flighty,
coquettish as one can be, at times a little angry,
and often taking pleasure in making him rage:
but what of it? —That is far too much, my dear:
begin by correcting yourself;
your temper may embitter him… what do you mean, my dear?
Interrupts the magpie at once:
I, a temper! What! I tell you my troubles,
and you insult me! I find you amusing:
farewell, little impertinent thing;
mind your own turtle-doves.
We acknowledge our faults;
but it is so that we may be contradicted.

Florian

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-magpie-and-the-dove-jean-pierre-claris-de-florian/