Le Meunier, son Fils et l'Ane
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Authors
La Fontaine, Jean de
Issue Date
1978
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Type
Book, Whole
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Abstract
I am coming to enjoy more La Fontaine's version of this tale, which has often seemed to me less well strategized than more traditional versions. Those version put the carrying of the ass -- the most ridiculous phase -- last. La Fontaine puts it first. Maybe his idea is that this approach is the miller's most creative, and it gets shot down immediately by others. That is, after all, La Fontaine's point: whatever you do, people will talk! This version omits the prologue and epilogue that set the fable up as Malherbe's wise answer to the young Racan's question "What shall I decide to do?" This little book of 21 pages has an illustration for every page. The son has to help the bulky father get up onto the ass when it is his turn. The ass pays attention on 18 to a passing butterfly. The last two pages present one peaceful rural picture of miller, ass, and son walking at their ease.
Description
Citation
Publisher
Flammarion
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Identifier
11148 (Access ID)