Explore "The Stag and the Vine" by Jean de La Fontaine on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
A stag, by favour of a vine, / Which grew where suns most genial shine, / And form'd a thick and matted bower / Which might have turn'd a summer shower, / Was saved from ruinous assault. / The hunters thought their dogs at fault, / And call'd them off. In danger now no more / The stag, a thankless wretch and vile, / Began to browse his benefactress o'er. / The hunters, listening the while, / The rustling heard, came back, / With all their yelping pack, / And seized him in that very place. / 'This is,' said he, 'but justice, in my case. / Let every black ingrate / Henceforward profit by my fate. ' / The dogs fell to -- 'twere wasting breath / To pray those hunters at the death. / They left, and we will not revile 'em, / A warning for profaners of asylum.[1]
[1]: Aesop.