Explore "The Old Man and the Ass" by Jean de La Fontaine on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
An old man, riding on his ass, / Had found a spot of thrifty grass, / And there turn'd loose his weary beast. / Old Grizzle, pleased with such a feast, / Flung up his heels, and caper'd round, / Then roll'd and rubb'd upon the ground, / And frisk'd and browsed and bray'd, / And many a clean spot made. / Arm'd men came on them as he fed: / 'Let's fly,' in haste the old man said. / 'And wherefore so? ' the ass replied; / 'With heavier burdens will they ride? ' / 'No,' said the man, already started. / 'Then,' cried the ass, as he departed, / 'I'll stay, and be -- no matter whose; / Save you yourself, and leave me loose. / But let me tell you, ere you go, / (I speak plain French, you know,) / My master is my only foe. '[1]
[1]: Phaedras. I. 15.