Tales and Novels of J. De La Fontaine — Volume 22
Tales and Novels of J. De La Fontaine — Volume 22
Jean de La Fontaine, the master storyteller behind the world's most beloved fables, reveals a wilder, more mischievous side in these three tales. Written during the height of 17th-century French literary culture, this volume showcases the author's sharper teeth: sly satire,wicked humor, and an eye for the absurd follies of human desire. Here, nuns bored behind convent walls cook up chaotic schemes, a painter's jealous imagination turns a simple journey into a nightmare of suspicion, and a cuckolded husband engineers a deliciously devious revenge against a meddling neighbor. These are not the gentle animal lessons you learned in school. They are worldly, witty, and deliciously aware that morality is far more complicated than any fable might suggest. La Fontaine dissects jealousy, infidelity, and pride with a comic precision that feels remarkably modern, wrapping his insights in verse that slides off the tongue like gossip. For readers who thought they knew La Fontaine, this volume is a delightful provocation.
