The Fables of La Fontaine
Translated into English Verse by Walter Thornbury and Illustrated by Gustave Doré
The Fables of La Fontaine gathers the verse fables that Jean de La Fontaine published between 1668 and 1694, reworking Aesop, Phaedrus and Eastern sources into short, pointed poems about wolves and lambs, frogs and oxen, town rats and country rats, and the human failings they stand for. The fables are light in manner and sharp in observation, and generations of French schoolchildren have learned them by heart. This edition is the English verse translation by Walter Thornbury, first issued in London in the 1860s with illustrations by Gustave Doré, and it opens with an essay on La Fontaine's life and a life of Aesop before the fables themselves. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first poems are free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about The Fables of La Fontaine
The Fables of La Fontaine by Jean de La Fontaine can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read The Fables of La Fontaine online?
Yes. The Fables of La Fontaine opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is The Fables of La Fontaine free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of The Fables of La Fontaine is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Fables of La Fontaine in the public domain?
Yes. The Fables of La Fontaine by Jean de La Fontaine is a public-domain work, here in the translation by Walter Thornbury. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Fables of La Fontaine?
About 6 h 20 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Fables of La Fontaine?
The Fables of La Fontaine by Jean de La Fontaine is filed under "Classics" in the Vinteuil library.
