The Bat and the two Weasels
When you are in extreme danger, you need to find the appropriate help, even if you are contradicting yourself.
La Chauve-souris et les deux Belettes
Une chauve-souris donna tête baissée
Dans un nid de belette ; et, sitôt qu’elle y fut,
L’autre, envers la souris
de longtemps courroucée,
Pour la dévorer accourut.
Quoi ! vous osez, dit-elle, à mes yeux
vous produire
Après que votre race a tâché de me nuire !
N’êtes-vous pas souris ? Parlez sans fiction.
Oui, vous l’êtes ; ou bien je ne suis pas belette.
Pardonnez-moi, dit la pauvrette,
Ce n’est pas ma profession.
Moi, souris, des méchants vous ont dit
ces nouvelles.
Grâce à l’auteur de l’univers,
Je suis oiseau ; voyez mes ailes :
Vive la gent qui fend les airs !
Sa raison plut, et sembla bonne.
Elle fait si bien qu’on lui donne
Liberté de se retirer.
Deux jours après, notre étourdie
Aveuglément se va fourrer
Chez une autre belette aux oiseaux ennemie.
La voilà derechef en danger de sa vie.
La dame du logis avec son long museau
S’en allait la croquer en qualité d’oiseau,
Quand elle protesta qu’on lui faisait outrage :
Moi, pour telle passer ! Vous n’y regardez pas.
Qui fait l’oiseau ? c’est le plumage.
Je suis souris ; vive les rats !
Jupiter confonde les chats !
Par cette adroite repartie
Elle sauva deux fois sa vie.
Plusieurs se sont trouvés qui,
d’écharpes changeants,
Aux dangers, ainsi qu’elle, ont souvent
fait la figue1.
Le sage dit, selon les gens :
Vive le roi ! vive la ligue !
- S’en sont moqués.
The Bat and the two Weasels
A bat gave headlong
In a weasel's nest; and, as soon as being there,
The other, angry for a long time
with the mice,
To devour her came running.
What ! you dare, she said, in my eyes
you produce
After your race tried to harm me!
Aren't you a mouse? Speak without fiction.
Yes, you are; or else I'm not a weasel.
Forgive me, said the poor thing,
It's not my profession.
Me, mouse, wicked people have told you
this news.
Thanks to the author of the universe,
I am a bird; see my wings:
Long live the people who cut through the air!
His reason pleased and seemed good.
She does so well that she was given
Freedom to withdraw.
Two days later, our dizzy
Blindly put herself
At another weasel's, enemy of the birds.
Here she is again in danger for her life.
The lady of the house with her long muzzle
Was going to bite her as a bird,
When she protested that she was being insulted:
Me, for such to pass! You don't look carefully.
What makes the bird? it is the plumage.
I am a mouse; long live the rats!
Jupiter confuses cats!
By this skillful repartee
She saved her life twice.
Several have found themselves who,
from changing scarves,
To dangers, like her,
laughed it off.
The sage says, according to the people:
Long live the king! long live the parliament!
First Fable: The Circada and the Ant
Previous fable: The two Bulls and the Frog
Next fable: The Lion and the Gnat
The Life of Aesop, by Jean de La Fontaine - part 8
As a reward for saving his master Xanthus, Aesop asked him for freedom. Xantus refused him, and said the time to set him free had not yet come; if, however, the gods so ordered, he consented to it: therefore, let him take heed of the first omen he might have on leaving the house; if he were happy, and if, for example, two crows presented themselves to his sight, freedom would be given to him; if he saw only one, let him never tire of being a slave. Aesop immediately left. His master's house was apparently towards a place covered with tall trees. Hardly our Phrygian was out, that he saw two crows which descended on the highest tree. He went to tell his master, who wanted to see for himself if he was telling the truth. As Xantus came, one of the crows flew away. Will you always cheat on me? he said to Aesop and gave him the stirrup leathers. The order was carried out. During poor Aesop's ordeal, Xantus was invited to a meal: he promised he would be there. Alas! cried Aesop, omens are liars! I, who saw two crows, being beaten; my master, who has only seen one, is asked to a wedding dinner. This word pleased Xantus so much, that he commanded Aesop's whipping to cease; but, as for freedom, he could not bring himself to give it to him, although he promised it to him on various occasions.
One day the two of them were walking among old monuments, gazing with great pleasure at the inscriptions that had been placed there. Xantus caught sight of one he could not understand, though he spent a long time searching for the explanation. It was made up of the first letters of certain words. The philosopher admitted ingenuously that this crossed his mind. If I cause you to find treasure by means of these letters, Aesop said to him, what reward shall I have? Xantus promised him freedom and half the prize. They mean, continued Aesop, that four paces from this column we shall meet one treasure. Indeed, they found it after digging a little in the ground. The philosopher was summoned to keep his word, but he backed away once again. The gods preserve me from freeing you, said he to Aesop, that you have not given me before that the understanding of these letters! it will be another treasure to me more precious than the one we have found. They are engraved here, continued Aesop, as the first letters of these words: Ἀπόϐας, βήματα, etc.; that is, "If you take four steps back, and dig, you will find treasure." "Since you are so shrewd," replied Xantus, "it would be wrong to get rid of you, so don't expect me to set you free." "And I", replied Aesop, "will denounce you to King Dionysius; for it is to him that the treasure belongs, and these same letters begin other words which signify it." The intimidated philosopher told the Phrygian that he would take his share of the money, and say nothing of it; after which Aesop declared that he had no obligation to him, these letters having been chosen in such a way as to enclose a triple meaning, and still meant: "As you go away, you will share the treasure which you will have found." As soon as he returned, Xantus ordered the Phrygian to be locked up and put in irons, lest he goes and publishes this adventure. "Alas!", cried Aesop, "is this how philosophers fulfill their promises? But do what you want, you will have to free me in spite of yourself."