The first book in our "L" section is a fable by the 17th century French poet La Fontaine. Admittedly, I know absolutely nothing about La Fontaine, but I'm catching on quickly. He adapted many well-known fables from the likes of Aesop, Babrius, and Phaedrus, and originally intended the adaptations for a sophisticated audience, though they quickly become popular with children.
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| Even in the English translation, La Fontaine's words are poetic! |
In publishing his collected works, La Fontaine expressed his intent to give [children] "an attraction to useful lessons which are suited to their age [and] an aversion to the profane songs which are often put into their mouths and which only serve to corrupt their innocence."(cited)
Ha! Where can I get my hands on a copy of that book?!
- Matthew
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