POET Jean de la Fontaine is best known for his Fables that many French people can still recite to this day.
He was born in 1621 in the town of Château-Thierry in Champagne, and never really left behind his love of the countryside.
Jean de la Fontaine spent the early years of his life working in government posts, but set out for Paris after a short marriage came to an end.
He drifted from various patrons and was never a major figure within the social scene but instead devoted his time to writing.
The first collection of 124 Fables Choisies appeared on March 31, 1668, and was dedicated to the six-year-old grandson of Louis XIV.
They were very simple, classic fables dealing with industrious ants, brave lions and carefree grasshoppers. They became an instant success.
Running through them are references to the simple ways of a rural life and each has a moral that readers today will still find beguiling.
Throughout his life Jean de la Fontaine published more Fables, with the last one released in 1693. He died in Paris on April 13, 1695.
Poems in the first collection of Fables:
· La cigale et la fourni
· Le corbeau et le renard
· La grenouille qui veut se faire aussi grosse que le boeuf
· Le loup et le chien
· Le rat de ville et le rat des champs
· Le loup et l’agneau
· La mort et le bûcheron
· Le renard et la cigogne
· Le chêne et le roseau
· Conseil tenu par les rats
· Le lion et le moucheron
· L’âne chargé d’éponges et l’âne chargé de sel
· Le lion, le rat, la colombe et la fourmi
· Le lièvre et les grenouilles
· Le coq et le renard
· Le meunier, son fils et l’âne
· Les grenouilles qui demandent un roi
· Le renard et le bouc
· Le renard et les raisins
· La belette entrée dans un grenier
· Le chat et un vieux rat
· Le pot de terre et le pot de fer
· Le petit poisson et le pêcheur
· Le renard ayant la queue coupée
· La vieille et les deux servantes
· Le laboureur et ses enfants
· La poule aux oeufs d’or
· Le cochet, le chat et le souriceau
· Le lièvre et la tortue
· La jeune veuve
· Les animaux maladent de la peste
· Le héron
· Le coche et la mouche
· La laitière et le pot de lait
· Le chat, la belette et le petit lapin