The Kite and the Pigeon

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

A kite was plucking a pigeon,
and said to him: wicked creature,
I know you, I know the aversion
that your kind have for me: here you are my conquest!
There are avenging gods. Alas! I wish it were so,
answered the pigeon. O height of crimes!
cried the kite! What! Your impious audacity
dares to doubt that there are gods?
I was going to pardon you: but, for this dreadful doubt,
villain, I sacrifice you.

Florian

Translation generated by Poésies 123 with assistance from the deepseek-chat artificial-intelligence model.

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