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After a thousand years and more of declared war,
The Wolves made peace with the Sheep.
It was apparently for the good of both sides;
For if the Wolves ate many a stray beast,
The Shepherds made many a garment from their skins.
Never was there freedom, neither for the pastures,
Nor on the other hand for the carnage:
They could enjoy their goods only trembling.
So peace was concluded: hostages are given;
The Wolves, their Wolf-cubs; and the Sheep, their Dogs.
The exchange being made in the usual forms
And settled by Commissioners,
After some time, when Messieurs the Wolf-cubs
Saw themselves perfect Wolves and fond of slaughter,
They take the time when in the Sheepfold
Messieurs the Shepherds were not there,
They strangle half of the fattest Lambs,
Carry them off in their teeth, and withdraw into the woods.
They had secretly warned their own kind.
The Dogs, who, trusting their faith, rested securely,
Were strangled in their sleep:
It was done so quickly that they barely felt it.
Everything was torn to pieces; not one escaped.
We can conclude from this
That against the wicked one must wage continual war.
Peace is very good in itself,
I grant it; but what use is it
With enemies who have no faith?
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-wolves-and-the-sheep-jean-de-la-fontaine/