Title:  The Tales and Novels, v3:  The Muleteer and Others

Author:  Jean de La Fontaine

Release Date:  March, 2004 [EBook #5277] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on June 14, 2002]

Edition:  10

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

*** Start of the project gutenberg EBOOK tales and novels of Fontaine, V3 ***

This eBook was produced by David Widger widger@cecomet.net

[Note:  There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the file for those who may wish to sample the author’s ideas before making an entire meal of them.  D.W.]

The tales and novels
of
J. De La Fontaine

Volume 3.

Contains: 
The Muleteer
The Servant Girl Justified
The Three Gossips’ Wager

The muleteer

The Lombard princes oft pervade my mind;
The present tale Boccace relates you’ll find;
Agiluf was the noble monarch’s name;
Teudelingua he married, beauteous dame,
The last king’s widow, who had left no heir,
And whose dominions proved our prince’s share.

          No Beauty round compare could with the queen;
          And ev’ry blessing on the throne was seen,
          When Cupid, in a playful moment, came,
          And o’er Agiluf’s stable placed his flame;
          There left it carelessly to burn at will,
          Which soon began a muleteer to fill,
          With love’s all-powerful, all-consuming fire,
          That naught controls, and youthful breasts desire.

          Themuleteer was pleasing to the sight: 
          Gallant, good-humoured, airy, and polite,
          And ev’ry way his humble birth belied;
          A handsome person, nor was sense denied;
          He showed it well, for when the youth beheld,
          With eyes of love, the queen, who all excelled,
          And ev’ry effort anxiously had made,
          To stop the flames that would his heart invade;
          When vain it proved, he took a prudent part:—­

          Whocan, like Cupid, manage wily art? 
          Whate’er stupidity we may discern,
          His pupils more within a day can learn,
          Than Masters knowledge in the schools can gain,
          Though they in study should ten years remain;
          The lowest clown he presently inspires,
          With ev’ry tendency that love requires;
          Of this our present tale’s a proof direct,
          And none that feel—­its truths will e’er suspect: