The Cock and the Fox by Jean de La Fontaine

Name: The Cock and the Fox
Author: Jean de La Fontaine

A veteran cock, alert and cunning, stands guard in a tree when a fox approaches and claims that peace has been declared throughout the animal world. The fox urges the cock to come down, embrace him as a brother, and celebrate a future free from fear of hawks or other enemies. The cock pretends to welcome the news and says he is especially glad to hear it from the fox. He then announces that two greyhounds are approaching, supposedly as couriers bringing the same message, and suggests that all of them should celebrate together with kisses and caresses. Alarmed, the fox abruptly says that his errand is urgent and flees toward the safety of nearby fox-holes. The cock laughs at having outwitted the deceiver, finding special pleasure in deceiving one who intended deceit.

By Jean de La Fontaine · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Animal Tale, Didactic Literature · 460 words

First lines

Upon a tree there mounted guard / A veteran cock, adroit and cunning; / When to the roots a fox up running, / Spoke thus, in tones of kind regard: -- / 'Our quarrel, brother, 's at an end; / Henceforth I hope to live your friend; / For peace now reigns / Throughout the animal domains. / I bear the news: -- come down, I pray, / And give me the embrace fraternal; / And please, my brother, don't delay. / So much the tidings do concern all, / That I must spread them far to-day. / Now you and yours can take your walks / Without a fear or thought of hawks. / And should you clash with them or others, / In us you'll find the best of brothers; -- / For which you may, this joyful night, / Your merry bonfires light. / But, first, let's seal the bliss / With one fraternal kiss. ' / 'Good friend,' the cock replied, 'upon my word, / A better thing I never heard; / And doubly I rejoice / To hear it from your voice; / And, really there must be something in it, / For yonder come two greyhounds, which I flatter / Myself are couriers on this very matter. / They come so fast, they'll be here in a minute. / I'll down, and all of us will seal the blessing / With general kissing and caressing. ' / 'Adieu,' said fox; 'my errand's pressing; / I'll hurry on my way, / And we'll rejoice some other day. ' / So off the fellow scamper'd, quick and light, / To gain the fox-holes of a neighbouring height, / Less happy in his stratagem than flight. / The cock laugh'd sweetly in his sleeve; -- / 'Tis doubly sweet deceiver to deceive.[1]

Open reader

Similar titles

Genres

Fable — The poem uses talking animals, a compact plot, and an explicit moral lesson about deceiving deceivers, all defining features of a fable.
Animal Tale — Its principal characters are a cock and a fox whose animal identities shape the conflict, danger, and comic resolution.
Didactic Literature — The narrative is designed to teach practical wisdom: one should recognize flattery, distrust an enemy's false promises, and answer cunning with caution.
Verse Narrative — The story is told in rhymed poetic lines rather than prose, combining dialogue, narration, and a concluding maxim.

What this Textopian page supports

The Cock and the Fox is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jean de La Fontaine, dated 1668 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Fable
Author: Jean de La Fontaine
Date: 1668 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fable, Animal Tale, Didactic Literature, Verse Narrative, Satire
Length: 460 words
Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Cock and the Fox by Jean de La Fontaine
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph