The Wolf and the Lamb

Fable by Jean De La Fontaine Collection The FablesThemes Animals, Death, PoliticsPeriod 17th century

The reason of the strongest is always the best:
We shall show it right away.
A Lamb was quenching its thirst
In the current of a pure stream.
A Wolf comes along, hungry, seeking adventure,
And whom hunger drew to these parts.
Who makes you so bold as to muddy my drink?
Said this animal full of rage:
You shall be punished for your temerity.
– Sire, answers the Lamb, may your Majesty
Not fall into a rage;
But rather consider
That I am quenching my thirst
In the current,
More than twenty paces below Her,
And that consequently, in no way
Can I muddy her drink.
– You do muddy it, replied this cruel beast,
And I know that you slandered me last year.
– How could I have done so if I was not born?
Replied the Lamb, I still suckle my mother.
– If it is not you, then it is your brother.
– I have none. – Then it is one of your kind:
For you spare me hardly at all,
You, your shepherds, and your dogs.
I was told so: I must have my vengeance.
Thereupon, to the depths of the forests
The Wolf carries him off, and then eats him,
Without any further form of trial.

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-wolf-and-the-lamb-jean-de-la-fontaine/