Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine — Volume 05
La Fontaine, Jean de, 1621-1695Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019
Rating 3.7- Word count
- 35K words
- Chapters
- 4
Tags
English Originals Foreign Literature Animal ImageryHuman NatureMoral AllegoryClassic MasterpieceFable StoriesFrench HumorSatirical StylePoetic NarrativeLively Narrative17th Century FranceSummary
Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine — Volume 05 by Jean de La FontaineAuthor: La Fontaine, Jean de, 1621-1695,Language: English, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Mar 1, 2004Editor's review
This volume is the English translation of the fifth volume of La Fontaine's Tales and Novels, a free eBook from Project Gutenberg. La Fontaine is known for his verse fables, while his tales follow the tradition of Boccaccio and the Queen of Navarre, with a witty, ingenious tone that often carries satire and observation of social manners. This volume serves as an accessible introduction to the style of French classical narrative poetry; the pieces are short and well suited to fragmented reading. The English translation preserves the storytelling rhythm and conversational wit of the original, offering reference value for readers interested in French literature or translation practice. While reading, note the moral irony and the narrator's interjections, which are hallmarks of La Fontaine's narrative technique. As a public-domain eBook, the typesetting and notes are relatively plain; reading alongside an introduction or literary history is recommended. Overall, it is better suited as extended reading for literature enthusiasts than as a primary version for systematic research.Who it's for
A good fit for
- General readers interested in French classical literature and the fable tradition
- Learners seeking short narrative material to practice English reading
- Literature enthusiasts studying La Fontaine's narrative poetry or French tales of social manners
- Casual readers who enjoy satirical humor in short pieces
Not a good fit for
- Serious researchers expecting full annotations or scholarly translations
- Readers who prefer long, continuous novel plots
- Readers uninterested in classical verse narrative and satirical tone
Reading tips
- Begin with the opening or table of contents, sample three to five short tales to get a feel for the narrative tone, then decide on a reading order.
- Make brief notes on allusions or puns for easy reference to La Fontaine's satirical technique.
- Read alongside La Fontaine's verse fables to appreciate the differences in expression across genres.
- Read individual pieces during commutes or other fragmented time; there is no need to finish in one sitting.
About the publisher
Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.
Contents
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
FAQ
Is this book La Fontaine's verse fables?
No. This volume belongs to Tales and Novels, La Fontaine's short narrative pieces in English translation, which differ in genre and content from his well-known verse fables; readers should note the distinction.Can readers with limited English read this eBook?
The English translation is fairly plain and the tales are short; readers with basic English can work through it with a dictionary. For accurate understanding of satire and allusions, consult the French original or relevant literary history.What are the features of the Gutenberg edition?
Project Gutenberg provides free public-domain eBooks. This volume is an early-release English translation with plain typesetting and usually no detailed notes or introduction; it suits light reading or as supplementary research material.This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
La Fontaine, Jean de, 1621-1695 AuthorJean de La Fontaine (1621–1695) was a French fabulist, best known for his Fables de La Fontaine. The library holds 36 of his works, including the first and new editions of the Fables, its first and second volumes, A Hundred Fables of La Fontaine, The Original Fables of La Fontaine, and the complete Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine. Drawing on Greek, Latin, and Eastern storytelling traditions, his fables feature personified animals, concise and lively verse, and gentle satire, using ordinary situations to reveal human nature and moral lessons. His works have circulated widely and are often used as children's reading and language-learning material; the library classifies them under inspirational growth. Public information on the details of his life is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.