Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine

In Short

This collection presents a series of narrative poems that blend classical wit with the earthy, often bawdy sensibilities of the Renaissance. Through tales of cuckolded husbands, clever servants, and high-born lovers, the work examines the fragility of human fidelity and the absurdity of social pretension. It has lasted for centuries not merely for its scandalous reputation, but for the author’s unparalleled ability to distill the messiness of life into elegant, rhythmic verse that treats both kings and peasants with the same skeptical, amused detachment.

The Story

The narrative arc begins with the introduction of Joconde, a prince renowned for his beauty and charm. Confident that no man can rival his perfection, he wagers his reputation on his own allure. However, his self-assurance is shattered when he discovers his seemingly chaste and devoted wife in the arms of a common valet. This betrayal plunges Joconde into a profound depression, stripping him of his vitality and social grace.

Seeking solace and distraction, Joconde eventually travels to the court of King Astolphus. There, he discovers that even royalty is not immune to the sting of infidelity; he catches the Queen in a clandestine affair with a dwarf. Rather than seeking vengeance, the two men—the prince and the monarch—bond over their shared misfortune. They decide to abandon their duties, change their identities, and embark on a wandering quest to seduce as many women as possible, keeping a meticulous ledger of their conquests to prove that infidelity is a universal human trait.

As they travel, the duo finds that they are remarkably successful, encountering women from all walks of life who are eager to be "entered in the book of fame." Their journey is a cycle of fleeting encounters and cynical observations on the nature of love, where they rationalize their own behavior as a response to the inherent unfaithfulness of the world. The tension of their mission reaches a peak when they decide to share the affections of a young, supposedly innocent innkeeper’s daughter. They attempt to manage this arrangement with detached, aristocratic precision, only to find themselves outwitted by a local village lad who manages to sleep with the girl right under their noses while they are occupied in the same bed.

This final indignity serves as the turning point for the two adventurers. Realizing the absurdity of their pursuit and the exhaustion that comes with chasing constant variety, they decide to abandon their hedonistic lifestyle. They return to their homes, where they are welcomed back with a mix of light scolding and reconciliation. The story concludes with the men choosing to accept their domestic lives, settling back into their marriages with a pragmatic understanding that while their wives may have strayed, the stability of home is ultimately preferable to the restless, deceptive nature of their wandering lives. They decide to "let sleeping dogs lie," embracing a domestic peace built on a foundation of mutual, if unspoken, forgiveness.

How It Unfolds

The challenge of perfection Joconde stakes his life and reputation on the claim that no man can match his beauty, inviting the world to test his theory. His confidence is absolute, rooted in the vanity of a man who believes he is the singular object of universal desire.

The discovery of betrayal Returning unexpectedly to his home, Joconde finds his wife with a valet, a sight that destroys his image of himself and his trust in the feminine heart. This moment marks his transition from a proud lover to a cynical wanderer.

The alliance of the cuckolds Joconde meets King Astolphus, and after discovering the King’s own wife is unfaithful, the two men form a pact of mutual consolation. They shed their titles and set out to turn the tables on the world, keeping a ledger of their various amorous victories.

The arrival at the inn The pair encounters a young girl and decides to add her to their collection, treating her virtue as a trophy to be won by lot. Their intellectual game is disrupted by a local youth, whose presence in the bed reveals the futility and irony of their refined schemes.

The return to order Accepting that they cannot control the hearts of others, the men renounce their wandering lives. They return to their wives, choosing domestic comfort over the hollow pursuit of endless variety, closing the book on their experiment.

The People

Joconde serves as the initial protagonist, a man whose identity is entirely bound up in his physical beauty and the admiration of others. When his wife destroys his illusion of superiority, he undergoes a total transformation, becoming an embittered, watchful traveler who uses cynicism to protect himself from further pain.

King Astolphus acts as the mirror to Joconde. As a monarch, he possesses absolute power, yet he is just as vulnerable to betrayal as his subject. His decision to join Joconde on their quest highlights his own deep-seated insecurity and his preference for escapism over confronting the reality of his own failed marriage.

The innkeeper’s daughter represents the unpredictable, independent force that disrupts the men’s plans. While the heroes view her as a prize to be managed, she navigates her own desires with a pragmatism that mirrors the men’s own lack of moral rigor. She is the catalyst for their final realization that the "game" of love is one that no one truly wins.

The village lad, "Clod," provides a sharp, low-brow contrast to the sophisticated posturing of the prince and the king. By outwitting them, he exposes their arrogance, proving that no amount of rank or wit can protect a man from the common, messy realities of human instinct.

In Its Own Voice

It has sufficed me to wish that no one should be imposed upon in my favour, and to follow a road contrary to that of certain persons, who only make friends in order to gain voices in their favour by their means.

The author explains his refusal to engage in the sycophantic social maneuvering common to his literary peers.

I should rather fear a tranquil melancholy, into which the most chaste and modest novels are very capable of plunging us, and which is a great preparation for love.

The author defends the lighthearted, often licentious nature of his tales against critics who claim they are immoral.

We must not be afraid on that account that marriages in the future will be less frequent, and husbands more on their guard.

The author dismisses the idea that his tales could actually damage the institution of marriage, framing them instead as harmless jests.

What It's Really About

The work is a meditation on the tension between societal expectations and natural human impulses. It questions whether loyalty is a genuine virtue or merely a social performance that is easily abandoned when opportunity or disillusionment arises. By framing infidelity as a universal, almost comedic occurrence, the book argues that human behavior is governed more by caprice and "evil stars" than by morality. The central question is one of acceptance: can a person find contentment by acknowledging the inherent messiness and potential for betrayal in all relationships, rather than demanding an impossible standard of purity? It suggests that peace is found not in avoiding the truth of human weakness, but in deciding, with a wink and a shrug, to overlook it.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the biting wit of Molière or the bawdy, humanistic spirit of Boccaccio will find much to admire here. The writing feels remarkably fresh, characterized by a voice that is both highly refined and deeply comfortable with the "low" aspects of human nature. It is a rewarding experience for those who appreciate irony, as the author constantly undercuts his own narrative authority, inviting the reader to laugh at the characters' pomposity and his own role as a storyteller.

However, the modern reader should be prepared for the period attitudes. The tales operate within a rigid, often misogynistic framework that treats women as objects of conquest or archetypes of infidelity. These aspects can feel jarring or tedious to a contemporary audience. Furthermore, the reliance on the "cuckold" trope can become repetitive, as the plot relies heavily on the same cycle of discovery and rationalization. Yet, these limitations are part of the book’s historical honesty. It does not try to be a modern morality play; it remains a document of its time, capturing a specific, cynical worldview that hasn't lost its edge. To read it is to step into a salon where the conversation is sharp, the wine is flowing, and nothing—least of all the speaker’s own virtue—is ever taken too seriously.