Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695) was a French poet, but is remembered mainly for his Fables, a work which is considered to be one of the masterpieces of French literature. 

He was born in the Champagne region of France, the elder son of the inspector of  forests and waterways, an office he later inherited.  In 1647 he married Marie Heincart, but they separated in 1658. His first book (1654) was a version of a Latin comedy by Terence; in 1658 his poem Adonis was published. He reached the peak of his literary achievement with his Fables.

The first six books, known as the premier recueil (“first collection”), of his Fables choises mises en vers were published in 1668 and contained 125 fables. These were followed by five more books (the second recueil) in 1678-79, which contained 100 fables. He added a twelfth book in 1693, with 24 fables. The fables in the second collection show the greatest technical skill; they are longer, more reflective and more personal than those in the first collection. 

La Fontaine based his fables mainly on Aesop, but also used Phaedrus, a Latin verse translation of the Greek fables. More than a dozen of his fables were drawn from the ancient Indian text, the Panchatantra. He enriched the original tales considerably, by adding deft touches of drama or humour to the tales. He also invented several fables of his own, some of which are presented below.

He wrote his fables in verse, and set them mainly in the countryside. Sometimes he turned to satire, and sometimes he commented on contemporary political issues, but did so with humour and a touch as light as a feather. The main theme of his tales, however, remains that of the traditional fable: the everyday moral issues of mankind. 

His fables were first translated into English in 1734. The most famous of the English translations are those with pictures by the French artists, J.J. Grandville (translated by Elizur Wright) and Gustave Dore (translated by Walter Thornbury). 

 Read on to discover his wise and witty tales.