The Swan and the Cook by Jean de La Fontaine

A swan and a gosling live together in a poultry yard, swimming and competing in aquatic sports. The swan is valued for his beauty, while the gosling is kept for the cooks and considered better suited to the platter. One day Thirsty John the cook calls for the gosling but mistakenly seizes the swan to cut his throat and put him in a pot. The swan cries out in glorious melody, and the astonished cook recognizes his error. Deciding that such a sweet singer must not be made into soup, he spares the swan. The tale concludes that sweet words can protect one against danger.

By Jean de La Fontaine · First published 1668 · Genre: Fable, Didactic Literature, Animal Tale · 258 words

First lines

The pleasures of a poultry yard / Were by a swan and gosling shared. / The swan was kept there for his looks, / The thrifty gosling for the cooks; / The first the garden's pride, the latter / A greater favourite on the platter. / They swam the ditches, side by side, / And oft in sports aquatic vied, / Plunging, splashing far and wide, / With rivalry ne'er satisfied. / One day the cook, named Thirsty John, / Sent for the gosling, took the swan, / In haste his throat to cut, / And put him in the pot. / The bird's complaint resounded / In glorious melody; / Whereat the cook, astounded / His sad mistake to see, / Cried, 'What! make soup of a musician! / Please God, I'll never set such dish on. / No, no; I'll never cut a throat / That sings so sweet a note.'

• Open reader

Similar titles

• The Grasshopper And The Ant by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Lion And The Rat by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Raven And The Fox by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Monkey And The Dolphin by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Peacock Complaining To Juno by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Jay In The Feathers Of The Peacock by Jean De La Fontaine

Genres

• Fable — A brief animal-centered narrative culminating in an explicit moral: pleasing speech can protect one from harm.
• Didactic Literature — The poem is designed to impart practical ethical instruction through a simple illustrative story.
• Animal Tale — Its principal characters are a swan and a gosling whose contrasting qualities drive the plot.
• Narrative Poetry — The work tells a complete story in rhymed verse, with action, dialogue, and resolution.

Tags

fable · verse narrative · moral tale · French classical literature · seventeenth century · poultry yard · farm animals · swan · gosling · cook · animal characters · mistaken identity

What this Textopian page supports

The Swan and the Cook 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, Didactic Literature, Animal Tale, Narrative Poetry, Moral Poetry
• Length: 258 words
• Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Swan and the Cook by Jean de La Fontaine
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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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