The Lion and the Gnat by Jean de La Fontaine

The Lion insults a gnat as a paltry and contemptible insect, but the gnat declares war, insisting that the Lion’s royal name, power, and fame do not frighten him. Boasting that he can drive even the larger ox, the gnat sounds his own battle charge and attacks. He first circles about, then settles on the Lion’s neck and torments him. Constantly changing his assaults, he stings the Lion’s snout, back, and nose. The Lion roars so terribly that other creatures flee, yet his rage cannot harm his tiny, unseen enemy. In trying to strike and bite the gnat, he wounds himself: his teeth and claws are bloodied, he tears his own hide, and lashes himself with his tail. Exhausted by useless efforts, he faints and abandons the contest. The victorious gnat withdraws proudly, celebrating with his trumpet-like hum and wearing a verdant laurel. Yet, while rejoicing in his conquest, he flies into a spider’s ambush and is caught in its web. The fable warns that those most despised may be dangerous, and that someone who escapes great risks may still be destroyed by the smallest threat.

By Jean de La Fontaine · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Animal Fable, Moral Literature · 509 words

First lines

'Go, paltry insect, nature's meanest brat! ' / Thus said the royal lion to the gnat. / The gnat declared immediate war. / 'Think you,' said he, 'your royal name / To me worth caring for? / Think you I tremble at your power or fame? / The ox is bigger far than you; / Yet him I drive, and all his crew. ' / This said, as one that did no fear owe, / Himself he blew the battle charge, / Himself both trumpeter and hero. / At first he play'd about at large, / Then on the lion's neck, at leisure, settled, / And there the royal beast full sorely nettled. / With foaming mouth, and flashing eye, / He roars. All creatures hide or fly, -- / Such mortal terror at / The work of one poor gnat! / With constant change of his attack, / The snout now stinging, now the back, / And now the chambers of the nose; / The pigmy fly no mercy shows. / The lion's rage was at its height; / His viewless foe now laugh'd outright, / When on his battle-ground he saw, / That every savage tooth and claw / Had got its proper beauty / By doing bloody duty; / Himself, the hapless lion, tore his hide, / And lash'd with sounding tail from side to side. / Ah! bootless blow, and bite, and curse! / He beat the harmless air, and worse; / For, though so fierce and stout, / By effort wearied out, / He fainted, fell, gave up the quarrel. / The gnat retires with verdant laurel. / Now rings his trumpet clang, / As at the charge it rang. / But while his triumph note he blows, / Straight on our valiant conqueror goes / A spider's ambuscade to meet, / And make its web his winding-sheet.

• Open reader

Similar titles

• The Lion And The Ass Hunting by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Raven And The Fox by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Lion And The Rat by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Bear The Monkey And The Hog by Tomas De Iriarte
• The Grasshopper And The Ant by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Two Mules by Jean De La Fontaine

Genres

• Fable — The poem uses talking animals, a brief allegorical conflict, and an explicit moral warning about despising small opponents and surviving great dangers only to perish through a minor one.
• Animal Fable — A lion, gnat, and spider act as human-like figures whose encounter illustrates recognizable human traits such as pride, contempt, courage, vanity, and vulnerability.
• Moral Literature — Its closing lines directly state the lesson: people may underestimate those they despise and may escape major dangers before falling to small, unexpected ones.
• Allegory — The animals represent broader social and human forces: the lion embodies proud power, the gnat embodies the underestimated weak challenger, and the spider embodies unforeseen fate.

Tags

fable · verse narrative · French literature · seventeenth century · animal characters · lion · gnat · spider · insect warfare · unequal combat · the weak versus the powerful · pride

What this Textopian page supports

The Lion and the Gnat 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 Fable, Moral Literature, Allegory, Didactic Poetry
• Length: 509 words
• Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Lion and the Gnat 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
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More by Jean de La Fontaine

• To Monseigneur the Dauphin (1668)
• The Grasshopper and the Ant (1668)
• The Raven and the Fox (1668)
• The Frog that Wished to be as Big as the Ox (1668)
• The Two Mules (1668)
• The Wolf and the Dog (1668)
• The Heifer, the Goat, and the Sheep, in Company with the Lion (1668)
• The Wallet (1668)
• All works by Jean de La Fontaine