The Complete Tales in Verse: La Fontaine

First published three years before the Jean de la Fontaine'sFablesbegan to appear, the verse compositions inComplete Tales in Versewere the fruit of Fontaine's wicked delight in reading Boccacio'sDecameron, Ariosto'sOrlando Furioso, the works of Rabelais, and others. Marital misdemeanors, resourceful females, and addled males inspire some of the author's most richly inventive plotting, which recasts the source stories in his own witty words. While Rabelais, Voltaire, and Moliegrave;re are more commonly cited for their comedic virtues, this collection demonstrates Fontaine's deserving place alongside them.

Jean de la Fontaine continues to be one of the most cherished authors in the French pantheon of literature. His Fables, verse reworkings of classical tales from sources such as Aesop and Horace, is recognized as a milestone of French literature and culture. Guido Waldman, is a translator and editor, and is currently editorial director of the Harvill Press.