The Heifer, the Goat, and the Sheep, in Company
The heifer, the goat, and their sister the sheep agree to keep their earnings in common with a lion who rules over all his neighbours. When the goat catches a stag, she summons the others to divide it. The lion divides the stag into four portions and claims the first because he is a lion, the second by the right of the strong, and the third because he is the bravest. He then threatens to choke to death anyone who shows an interest in taking the fourth portion.
By Jean de La Fontaine · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Animal Fable, Didactic Literature · 316 words
First lines
The heifer, the goat, and their sister the sheep, / Compacted their earnings in common to keep, / 'Tis said, in time past, with a lion, who sway'd / Full lordship o'er neighbours, of whatever grade. / The goat, as it happen'd, a stag having snared, / Sent off to the rest, that the beast might be shared. / All gather'd; the lion first counts on his claws, / And says, 'We'll proceed to divide with our paws / The stag into pieces, as fix'd by our laws. ' / This done, he announces part first as his own; / ''Tis mine,' he says, 'truly, as lion alone. ' / To such a decision there's nought to be said, / As he who has made it is doubtless the head. / 'Well, also, the second to me should belong; / 'Tis mine, be it known, by the right of the strong. / Again, as the bravest, the third must be mine. / To touch but the fourth whoso maketh a sign, / I'll choke him to death / In the space of a breath! '[1]
Similar titles
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- The Lion And The Gnat by Jean De La Fontaine
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Genres
- Fable — The work is a brief animal tale in which a lion, goat, heifer, and sheep enact a moral lesson about power, justice, and unequal division.
- Animal Fable — Speaking and socially organized animals represent human types: the lion embodies tyrannical strength, while the weaker animals represent powerless partners.
- Didactic Literature — Its compact narrative teaches that agreements with the powerful are vulnerable to abuse and that might can override fairness.
- Moral Tale — The plot culminates in an unmistakable ethical observation: the lion claims every portion through status, force, and intimidation.
Tags
fable · verse narrative · animal characters · lion · goat · heifer · sheep · stag hunt · shared spoils · division of prey · lion's share · might makes right
What this Textopian page supports
The Heifer, the Goat, and the Sheep, in Company with the Lion is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jean de La Fontaine, dated 1668 CE.
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- Work type: Fable
- Author: Jean de La Fontaine
- Date: 1668 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Animal Fable, Didactic Literature, Moral Tale, Allegory
- Length: 316 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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