Three Fables of La Fontaine

Translations © by Grant Hicks

Song Cycle by Marcelle de Manziarly (1899 - 1989)

View original-language texts alone: Trois Fables de La Fontaine

1. La cigale et la fourmi  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
La cigale, ayant chanté
Tout l'été,
Se trouva fort dépourvue
Quand la bise fut venue.
Pas un seul petit morceau
De mouche ou de vermisseau.
Elle alla crier famine
Chez la Fourmi sa voisine,
La priant de lui prêter
Quelque grain pour subsister
Jusqu'à la saison nouvelle.
«Je vous paierai, lui dit-elle,
Avant l'août, foi d'animal,
Intérêt et principal.»
La Fourmi n'est pas prêteuse;
C'est là son moindre défaut.
«Que faisiez-vous au temps chaud?
Dit-elle à cette emprunteuse.
-- Nuit et jour à tout venant
Je chantais, ne vous déplaise.
-- Vous chantiez? j'en suis fort aise.
Et bien! dansez maintenant.»

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See also La cigale vengée.


by Jean de La Fontaine (1621 - 1695)
1. The Cicada and the Ant
Language: English 
The cicada, having sung
All summer long,
Found herself entirely destitute 
When the north wind came:
Not a single tiny morsel
Of fly or of worm.
She went to cry famine
At the ant's house next door,
Imploring her to lend her
Some speck to tide her over
Until the next spring.
"I'll pay you," she said,
"Before August, animal's honor,
Interest and principal."
The ant was not one to lend,
That was the least of her faults.
"What did you do in the warm weather?"
Said she to that borrower.
"Night and day to all and sundry
I sang, if you don't mind."
"You sang? I'm so delighted.
Well then! Now you can dance."

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Translations of titles:
"La Cigale" = "The Cicada"
"La cigale et la fourmi" = "The Cicada and the Ant"



This text was added to the website: 2025-09-07
Line count: 22
Word count: 115

Translation © by Grant Hicks
2. L'oiseau blessé d'une flèche  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Mortellement atteint d'une flèche empennée,
Un Oiseau déplorait sa triste destinée,
Et disait, en souffrant un surcroît de douleur :
Faut-il contribuer à son propre malheur ?
Cruels humains, vous tirez de nos ailes
De quoi faire voler ces machines mortelles.
Mais ne vous moquez point, engeance sans pitié :
Souvent il vous arrive un sort comme le nôtre.
Des enfants de Japet toujours une moitié
Fournira des armes à l'autre.

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Confirmed with Œuvres complètes de Jean de La Fontaine, Paris: Didot, 1837, Page 21.


by Jean de La Fontaine (1621 - 1695)
2. The Bird Wounded by an Arrow
Language: English 
Mortally struck by a feathered arrow,
A bird bewailed her dismal fate,
And said, suffering an access of pain,
"Must one contribute to one's own misfortune?
Cruel humans, you pluck from our wings
That which will make your fatal device fly.
But do not laugh, you pitiless rabble:
You often suffer a fate like ours.
Half of Japheth's children will always 
Furnish weapons to the other half."

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

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Translations of titles:
"L'oiseau blessé d'une flèche" = "The Bird Wounded by an Arrow"
"Oiseau blessé d'une flèche" = "Bird Wounded by an Arrow"



This text was added to the website: 2025-09-07
Line count: 10
Word count: 67

Translation © by Grant Hicks
3. La Grenouille qui veut se faire aussi grosse que le Bœuf  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: French (Français) 
Une Grenouille vit un Bœuf
Qui lui sembla de belle taille.
Elle, qui n'était pas grosse en tout comme un œuf,
Envieuse, s'étend, et s'enfle, et se travaille,
Pour égaler l'animal en grosseur,
Disant: "Regardez bien, ma sœur ;
Est-ce assez? dites-moi ; n'y suis-je point encore ?
- Nenni. - M'y voici donc? - Point du tout. - M'y voilà ?
- Vous n'en approchez point." La chétive pécore
S'enfla si bien qu'elle creva.
Le monde est plein de gens qui ne sont pas plus sages :
Tout bourgeois veut bâtir comme les grands seigneurs,
Tout petit prince a des ambassadeurs,
Tout marquis veut avoir des pages.

Text Authorship:

  • by Jean de La Fontaine (1621 - 1695), "La Grenouille qui veut se faire aussi grosse que le Bœuf", written 1668, appears in Fables

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by Jean de La Fontaine (1621 - 1695)
3. The Frog Who Wants to Make Herself As Big As an Ox
Language: English 
A frog once saw an ox
Who seemed to her of a fine size.
She, who was in all not as big as an egg,
Envious, stretched, and puffed up, and exerted herself,
So as to equal the animal in size,
Saying, "Look closely, my sister;
Is it enough? Tell me, am I not there yet?"
"No " — "Now, then? — "Not at all." — "And now?"
"You're not even close." The little ninny
Became so puffed up that she burst.
The world is full of folk who are no wiser:
Every burgher wants to build like a great lord,
Every princeling has ambassadors,
Every marquis wants to have pages.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2025-09-07
Line count: 14
Word count: 111

Translation © by Grant Hicks