Jean de La FontaineVerified

La Fontaine's deceptively simple animal tales contain sharp social satire and moral wisdom wrapped in elegant wit—each fable lands its lessons with a sting that outlasts centuries of changing politics. These are stories that work as entertainment and philosophy simultaneously.

A collection of 239 fables in twelve books, published between 1668 and 1694, here in an English verse translation illustrated by Gustave Dore. Drawing on Aesop, Indian sources and contemporary events, the humorous tales use animal characters to comment on human nature.