| FABLE IX. | FABLE IX |
| THE SPARROW AND THE HARE. | LE LIÈVRE ET LE PASSEREAU |
| Phaedrus. | Phèdre. |
| Let us show, in a few lines, that it is unwise to be heedless of ourselves, while we are giving advice to others. | Ne pas prendre garde à soi, et donner des conseils aux autres, c’est folie. Nous allons le montrer en peu de mots. |
| A Sparrow upbraided a Hare that had been pounced upon by an Eagle, and was sending forth piercing cries. | Déchiré par les serres d’un Aigle, un Lièvre poussait de longs gémissements. Un Passereau l’insultait : |
| “Where now,” said he, “is that fleetness for which you are so remarkable? | « Qu’est devenue, lui disait-il, cette vitesse si vantée ? |
| Why were your feet thus tardy?” | où sont donc tes pieds agiles ? » |
| While he was speaking, a Hawk seizes him unawares, and kills him, shrieking aloud with vain complaints. | Il parlait encore, lorsque soudain un épervier le saisit et le tue malgré ses plaintes et ses cris. |
| The Hare, almost dead, as a consolation in his agony, exclaimed: | Le Lièvre eut, en mourant, la consolation de lui dire : |
| “You, who so lately, free from care, were ridiculing my misfortunes, have now to deplore your own fate with as woful cause.” | « Toi qui naguère te croyais en sûreté, et riais de mon malheur, tu déplores aussi ta triste destinée. » |
