Title:  The Tales and Novels, v5:  The Princess Bethrothed to Garba

Author:  Jean de La Fontaine

Release Date:  March, 2004 [EBook #5279] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on June 14, 2002]

Edition:  10

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

*** Start of the project gutenberg Ebook tales and novels of Fontaine, V5 ***

This eBook was produced by David Widger widger@cecomet.net

[Note:  There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the file for those who may wish to sample the author’s ideas before making an entire meal of them.  D.W.]

The tales and novels
of
J. De La Fontaine

Volume 5.

The princess betrothed to the
king of Garba

What various ways in which a thing is told
Some truth abuse, while others fiction hold;
In stories we invention may admit;
But diff’rent ’tis with what historick writ;
Posterity demands that truth should then
Inspire relation, and direct the pen.

          Alaciel’sstory’s of another kind,
          And I’ve a little altered it, you’ll find;
          Faults some may see, and others disbelieve;
          ’Tis all the same:—­’twill never make me grieve;
          Alaciel’s mem’ry, it is very clear,
          Can scarcely by it lose; there’s naught to fear. 
          Two facts important I have kept in view,
          In which the author fully I pursue;
          The one—­no less than eight the belle possessed,
          Before a husband’s sight her eyes had blessed;
          The other is, the prince she was to wed
          Ne’er seemed to heed this trespass on his bed,
          But thought, perhaps, the beauty she had got
          Would prove to any one a happy lot.

          HOWE’ER this fair, amid adventures dire,
          More sufferings shared than malice could desire;
          Though eight times, doubtless, she exchanged her knight
          No proof, that she her spouse was led to slight;
          ’Twas gratitude, compassion, or good will;
          The dread of worse;—­she’d truly had her fill;
          Excuses just, to vindicate her fame,
          Who, spite of troubles, fanned the monarch’s flame: 
          Of eight the relict, still a maid received ;—­
          Apparently, the prince her pure believed;
          For, though at times we may be duped in this,
          Yet, after such a number—­strange to miss! 
          And I submit to those who’ve passed the scene,
          If they, to my opinion, do not lean.