The Two Cocks by Jean de La Fontaine

Name: The Two Cocks
Author: Jean de La Fontaine

Two cocks live peacefully until a hen provokes a war between them. Their violent contest draws the attention of the neighbourhood and of many bright-plumaged hens, who follow the victorious cock. The defeated rival hides in misery, grieving over both his lost glory and the prize now possessed by his enemy. Daily resentment restores his courage, and he prepares himself for revenge. Meanwhile, the victor flies onto a roof and crows proudly to display his success. A hawk hears him and kills him. The former loser then emerges from hiding and becomes sole master of the harem, enjoying the attentions of almost a nation of wives. Fortune, the fable warns, abandons those made insolent by victory; triumph should therefore be viewed with distrust, since it may lead to defeat.

By Jean de La Fontaine · First published 1678 · Genre: Fable, Didactic Poetry, Animal Tale · 426 words

First lines

Two cocks in peace were living, when / A war was kindled by a hen. / O love, thou bane of Troy! 'twas thine / The blood of men and gods to shed / Enough to turn the Xanthus red / As old Port wine! / And long the battle doubtful stood: / (I mean the battle of the cocks; ) / They gave each other fearful shocks: / The fame spread o'er the neighbourhood, / And gather'd all the crested brood. / And Helens more than one, of plumage bright, / Led off the victor of that bloody fight. / The vanquish'd, drooping, fled, / Conceal'd his batter'd head, / And in a dark retreat / Bewail'd his sad defeat. / His loss of glory and the prize / His rival now enjoy'd before his eyes. / While this he every day beheld, / His hatred kindled, courage swell'd: / He whet his beak, and flapp'd his wings, / And meditated dreadful things. / Waste rage! His rival flew upon a roof / And crow'd to give his victory proof. -- / A hawk this boasting heard: / Now perish'd all his pride, / As suddenly he died / Beneath that savage bird. / In consequence of this reverse, / The vanquish'd sallied from his hole, / And took the harem, master sole, / For moderate penance not the worse. / Imagine the congratulation, / The proud and stately leading, / Gallanting, coaxing, feeding, / Of wives almost a nation! / 'Tis thus that Fortune loves to flee / The insolent by victory. / We should mistrust her when we beat, / Lest triumph lead us to defeat.[1]

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Genres

Fable — The poem uses speaking animals in a brief allegorical narrative and ends with an explicit moral warning against pride after victory.
Didactic Poetry — Its principal purpose is instruction: the story teaches that triumph, arrogance, and overconfidence can swiftly bring defeat.
Animal Tale — Cocks, hens, and a hawk act as the central characters, with their rivalry and behavior representing recognizable human motives.
Moral Allegory — The contest between the cocks allegorizes human ambition, jealousy, humiliation, revenge, and the instability of fortune.

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The Two Cocks is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jean de La Fontaine, dated 1678 CE.

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Work type: Fable
Author: Jean de La Fontaine
Date: 1678 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fable, Didactic Poetry, Animal Tale, Moral Allegory, Satire
Length: 426 words
Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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