Ariosto
and Boccaccio, amongst the Italians.

He married, in compliance with the wishes of his family, a beautiful,
witty and chaste woman, who drove him to despair.

He was sought after and cherished by all distinguished men of letters.
But it was two Ladies who kept him from experiencing the pangs of
poverty.

La Fontaine, if there remain anything of thee, and if it be permitted to
thee for a moment to soar above all time; see the names of La Sabliere
and of Hervard pass with thine to the ages to come!

The life of La Fontaine was, so to speak, only one of continual
distraction. In the midst of society, he was absent from it. Regarded
almost as an imbecile by the crowd, this clever author, this amiable
man, only permitted himself to be seen at intervals and by friends.

He had few books and few friends.

Amongst a large number of works that he has left, everyone knows his
fables and his tales, and the circumstances of his life are written in a
hundred places.

He died on the 16th of March, 1695.

He was buried in the cemetery of Saint-Joseph, by the side of Moliere.

THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE

TO THE FIRST VOLUME OF THESE TALES

I had resolved not to consent to the printing of these Tales, until
after I had joined to them those of Boccaccio, which are those most to
my taste; but several persons have advised me to produce at once what I
have remaining of these trifles, in order to prevent from cooling the
curiosity to see them, which is still in its first ardour. I gave way
to this advice without much difficulty, and I have thought well to
profit by the occasion. Not only is that permitted me, but it would be
vanity on my part to despise such an advantage........... Now, that I
should be permitted to write about these as so many others have done and
with success I do not believe it can be doubted; and people cannot
condemn me for so doing, without also condemning Ariosto before me and
the Ancients before Ariosto. It may be said that I should have done
better to have suppressed certain details, or at least to have disguised
them. Nothing was more easy, but it would have weakened the tale and
taken away some of its charm: So much circumspection is only necessary
in works which promise great discretion from the beginning, either by
their subject or by the manner in which they are treated. I confess
that it is necessary to keep within certain limits, and that the
narrowest are the best; also it