French Tales

Fables Of La Fontaine

Download PDF

Children’s books – Fables Of La Fontaine – Contents
< < < The Monkey And The Dolphin
The Jay In The Feathers Of The Peacock > > >

The Man And The Wooden God

A pagan kept a god of wood,–
A sort that never hears,
Though furnish’d well with ears,–
From which he hoped for wondrous good.
The idol cost the board of three;
So much enrich’d was he
With vows and offerings vain,
With bullocks garlanded and slain:
No idol ever had, as that,
A kitchen quite so full and fat.
But all this worship at his shrine
Brought not from this same block divine
Inheritance, or hidden mine,
Or luck at play, or any favour.
Nay, more, if any storm whatever
Brew’d trouble here or there,
The man was sure to have his share,
And suffer in his purse,
Although the god fared none the worse.
At last, by sheer impatience bold,
The man a crowbar seizes,
His idol breaks in pieces,
And finds it richly stuff’d with gold.
‘How’s this? Have I devoutly treated,’
Says he, ‘your godship, to be cheated?
Now leave my house, and go your way,
And search for altars where you may.
You’re like those natures, dull and gross,
From, which comes nothing but by blows;
The more I gave, the less I got;
I’ll now be rich, and you may rot.’

< < < The Monkey And The Dolphin
The Jay In The Feathers Of The Peacock > > >

Children’s books – Fables Of La Fontaine – Contents

Copyright holders –  Public Domain Book

If you liked this site, subscribe , put likes, write comments! Share on social networks

© 2023 Akirill.com – All Rights Reserved