Title:  The Tales and Novels, v8:  The Ephesian Matron and Others

Author:  Jean de La Fontaine

Release Date:  March, 2004 [EBook #5282] [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, V8 ***

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 8.

Contains: 
The Eel Pie
The Magnificent
The Ephesian Matron

Theeel pie

However exquisite we beauty find,
It satiates sense, and palls upon the mind: 
Brown bread as well as white must be for me;
My motto ever is—­variety.

That brisk brunette, with languid, sleepy eye,
Delights my fancy; Can you tell me why? 
The reason ’s plain enough:—­she ’s something new. 
The other mistress, long within my view,
Though lily fair, with seraph features blessed,
No more emotion raises in my breast;
Her heart assents, while mine reluctant proves;
Whence this diversity that in us moves? 
From hence it rises, to be plain and free,
My motto ever is—­variety.

          Thesame in other words, I’ve often said;
          ’Tis right, at times, disguise with care to spread. 
          The maxim’s good, and with it I agree: 
          My motto ever is—­variety.

          A certain spouse the same devise had got,
          Whose wife by all was thought a handsome lot. 
          His love, howe’er, was over very soon;
          It lasted only through the honeymoon;
          Possession had his passion quite destroyed;
          In Hymen’s bands too oft the lover ’s cloyed.

          One, ’mong his valets, had a pretty wife;
          The master was himself quite full of life,
          And soon the charmer to his wishes drew,
          With which the husband discontented grew,
          And having caught them in the very fact,
          He rang his mate the changes for the act;
          Sad names he called her, howsoever just,
          A silly blockhead! thus to raise a dust,
          For what, in ev’ry town ’s so common found;
          May we worse fortune never meet around!