Social Commentaries

The Heifer, the She-Goat, and the Lamb, in Partnership with the Lion

by Jean de La Fontaine 1621–1695

Translated by Walter Thornbury (1886) · From Fables (1668–1694)

Social Commentaries

The Heifer, Lamb, and Nanny-goat were neighbours,
With a huge Lion living close at hand,
They shared the gains and losses of their labours
(All this was long ago, you understand).
One day a stag was taken as their sport;
The Goat, who snared him, was of course enraptured,
And sent for all the partners of her toil,
In order to divide the treasure captured.
They came. The Lion, counting on his claws,
Quartered the prey, and thus addressed the trio--

"The parts are four. I take the first, because
I am your monarch, and my name is Leo:
Being the strongest, I annex the second;
As bravest, I can claim another share,
Should any touch the fourth, or say I reckoned
Unjustly, I shall kill him. So beware."

MLA

La Fontaine, Jean de. “The Heifer, the She-Goat, and the Lamb, in Partnership with the Lion.” Translated by Walter Thornbury. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/la-fontaine/6/.

Chicago

La Fontaine, Jean de. “The Heifer, the She-Goat, and the Lamb, in Partnership with the Lion.” Translated by Walter Thornbury. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/la-fontaine/6/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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