The Audubon Societies 461 



So near came the scaly fry 



They might be caught by the passer-by. 



But he thought he better might 



Wait for better appetite, 



For he lived by rule, and could not eat, 



Except at his hours, the best of meat." 



La Fontaine's lyric style suffers so much in translation that those of you 

 who read French will enjoy his fables far more in the original. 



'The Lark and the Farmer,' 'The Cat, the Weasel, and the Young Rabbit,' 

 'The Oak and the Reed,' 'The Grasshopper and the Ant,' are suggestive of 

 his insight into the ways of wild creatures, the aspect of Nature in every mood, 

 and the contrast between the real world and the artificial. 



In the 'Two Doves,' he preaches a little sermon on contentment to those 

 who are subject to "restless curiosity,'' and tire of home. The story is simple, 

 a Dove who loved its companion like a brother, desired to see the world, and 

 so set forth to fly about three days' time among enchanting new scenes and 

 wonders. Hardly had it made its first flight, when a drenching thunder-storm 

 came on, with no good shelter at hand. Next, attracted by some choice morsels 

 of grain scattered here and there, it ventured to alight to feed, seeing another 

 Dove on the ground; but scarcely had it snapped up one grain when it felt 

 itself entangled in a snare. Luckily, the snare was much worn and loose, so 

 the Dove succeeded in struggling itself free, bearing a dangling string from the 

 snare, which attracted a Hawk, who would have caught the helpless Dove had 

 not an Eagle ''from the clouds" made the Hawk his prey. 



"The Dove for safety plied the wing. 

 And, lighting on a ruined wall. 

 Believed his dangers ended all, 



A roguish boy had there a sling, 

 (Age pitiless, 



We must confess). 

 And bj' a most unlucky fling. 



Half-killed our hapless Dove; 

 Who now, no more in love 

 With foreign traveling, 

 And lame in leg and wing. 

 Straight homeward urged his crippled flight; 

 Fatigued, but glad, arrived at night. 

 In truly sad and piteous plight." 



The moral of this fable is ^•e^y appropriate to all friends and mates, and is 

 exquisitely worded : 



"To each the other ought to be 



A world of beauty ever new; 

 In each the other ought to see 



The whole of what is good and true." 



