The Tales and Novels, V9: Belphegor and Others

Jean de La Fontaine's ninth volume gathers his most audacious tales, written in the libertine vein that scandalized 17th-century France. The centerpiece, "Belphegor," dispatches a demon from Hell to investigate human marriages, his assignment: discover why mortals suffer so in wedlock. Posing as a nobleman, Belphegor weds the proud Honesta, only to find that Hell itself has nothing on conjugal discord. The screaming matches, the regret, the frantic retreat back below, it's matrimonial comedy written with a demon's-eye view of mortal folly. Around this centerpiece, La Fontaine piles more tales of desire, greed, and excess, each dressed in verse so elegant it makes vice feel almost charming. These aren't fables for children. They're sophisticated entertainment for readers who understand that the best satire doesn't preach, it just lets absurdity speak for itself.