| FABLE XIII. | FABLE XIII. |
| THE FOX AND THE RAVEN. | LE CORBEAU ET LE RENARD. |
| Phaedrus. | Phèdre. |
| He who is delighted at being flattered with artful words, generally pays the ignominious penalty of a late repentance. | Ceux qui aiment les artificieux en sont punis plus tard par un amer repentir. |
| As a Raven, perched in a lofty tree, was about to eat a piece of cheese, stolen from a window, a Fox espied him, and thereupon began thus to speak: | Un Corbeau avait pris un fromage sur une fenêtre, et allait le manger sur le haut d’un arbre, lorsqu’un Renard l’aperçut et lui tint ce discours : |
| ‘O Raven, what a glossiness there is upon those feathers of yours! | « De quel éclat, ô Corbeau, brille votre plumage ! |
| What grace you carry in your shape and air! | que de grâces dans votre air et votre personne ! |
| If you had a voice, no bird whatever would be superior to you.” | Si vous chantiez, vous seriez le premier des oiseaux. » |
| On this, the other, while, in his folly, attempting to show off his voice, let fall the cheese from his mouth, which the crafty Fox with greedy teeth instantly snatched up. | Notre sot voulut montrer sa voix ; mais il laissa tomber le fromage, et le rusé Renard s’en saisit aussitôt avec avidité. |
| Then, too late, the Raven, thus, in his stupidity overreached, heaved a bitter sigh. | Le Corbeau honteux gémit alors de sa sottise. |
| By this story it is shown, how much ingenuity avails, and how wisdom is always an overmatch for strength. | Cette fable prouve la puissance de l’esprit : l’adresse l’emporte toujours sur la force. |
