Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine

In Short

This narrative follows a traveler named Reynold D'Ast, who, after falling victim to highwaymen, finds himself destitute and shivering outside a castle on a winter night. Through a series of coincidences and the intervention of a compassionate widow, his night of misery transforms into one of opulent comfort and amorous reward. A masterwork of seventeenth-century French storytelling, the book endures because it balances a cynical view of human nature with a playful appreciation for the ironies of fate, blending high-stakes drama with a light, observational wit.

The Story

Reynold D'Ast, a traveler who prides himself on his skepticism regarding superstition, nonetheless makes a habit of reciting "Saint Julian’s Prayer" each morning to ensure a safe lodging for the night. While traveling, he encounters three strangers who appear honest and likable. He invites them to join him, hoping for safer passage through a region rumored to be plagued by robbers. As they ride, the conversation drifts toward the efficacy of charms and spells. Reynold admits he carries no talismans but relies on his prayer to avoid wretched accommodations. The strangers, mocking his faith, challenge him to a bet: if they happen to find better lodging than he does, he must forfeit his horse and coat.

The travelers eventually reach a wooded area, where the facade drops. The men reveal themselves to be the very criminals Reynold feared; they strip him of his horse, his purse, and his clothes, leaving him in the freezing cold to make his way on foot. His own servant, rather than coming to his aid, abandons him to seek comfort at a nearby inn. Reynold, shivering and alone, eventually reaches a castle gate. He finds a sheltered nook near a penthouse roof and, covering himself with straw, prepares for a miserable, deathly night.

The castle belongs to a beautiful young widow who is waiting for her lover, a local governor. However, the governor sends word that he cannot come. The widow’s servant, hearing Reynold’s groans from outside, gains her mistress's permission to bring the "unfortunate" inside. Once warmed and fed, Reynold recovers his spirits. The widow, struck by his appearance and his story, provides him with clothes from her late husband’s wardrobe and invites him to a refined, private supper.

The attraction is immediate. The widow, feeling jilted by the governor, decides that Reynold is a welcome distraction. They share a night of intimacy that serves as a profound recompense for his earlier suffering. The next morning, she provides him with a purse of gold for his journey, and he departs. Through a sudden turn of fate, Reynold discovers the three thieves and manages to have them captured and brought to justice. As they face the gallows, Reynold reflects on the curious efficiency of his prayer. Though he was robbed and humiliated, he ultimately emerged wealthier and more satisfied than if he had never encountered the villains at all, illustrating the unpredictable, often ironic hand of fortune.

How It Unfolds

The gamble of faith Reynold openly discusses his reliance on a specific daily prayer while traveling. His companions, secretly thieves, view his piety as a weakness and bait him into a wager against his own safety.

The loss of fortune The journey takes a dark turn when the companions reveal their true nature in the woods. Reynold is violently dispossessed of his belongings and left to the mercy of the harsh winter elements.

A night of abandonment Reynold’s servant prioritizes his own comfort, leaving his master to suffer in the cold. Abandoned and near death, Reynold finds a meager refuge at the wall of a stranger's estate.

A shift in providence The widow’s private disappointment regarding her absent lover creates a vacuum that Reynold inadvertently fills. The transition from the shivering beggar in the straw to the honored guest at a luxury supper is sudden and total.

The scales of justice After a night of unexpected recompense, Reynold successfully recovers his stolen property through the legal system. The thieves are executed, confirming that while fate is chaotic, it occasionally rights its own wrongs.

The People

Reynold D’Ast is a pragmatic traveler whose skepticism is tempered by a rigid adherence to custom. He views himself as a rational man, yet he clings to the "Saint Julian’s Prayer" as a talisman of habit. He is resilient, moving quickly from the depths of despair to the pleasures of the widow’s table, and he proves as capable in love as he is in the courtroom.

The Widow is a woman of agency and refinement. Driven by a desire for companionship and a flicker of spite toward the governor who failed to visit her, she treats Reynold not as a charity case, but as a peer. She is discerning, choosing to reshape the tragedy of her lonely night into a moment of mutual pleasure and tactical generosity.

The Three Thieves are characterized by their "fluent tongues" and duplicity. They represent the cynical world that Reynold tries to navigate. Their arrogance in betting against Reynold’s prayer highlights their lack of foresight; they see only the immediate gain of a coat and horse, never suspecting that their crime would lead directly to their own execution.

The Servant is a foil to Reynold. Where his master faces the elements and the thieves, the servant chooses the coward’s path to the comforts of the inn. He remains a peripheral figure, emphasizing Reynold’s isolation during his ordeal.

In Its Own Voice

The spell and philter wonders work in love Hearts melt with charms supposed from pow'rs above!

The narrator observes how people often credit mystical influences for the natural mysteries of human attraction.

CHANCE so arranges ev'ry thing around ALL good, or ALL that's bad is solely found;

This reflection highlights the central thesis that fortune is not a steady stream, but a series of extreme, abrupt shifts.

What It's Really About

The narrative explores the volatile nature of luck and the thin line between ruin and reward. It suggests that fortune is rarely consistent; it operates through paradox, where a "bad" event—the theft of one's belongings—can be the necessary catalyst for a "good" event, such as a life-changing encounter. There is an undercurrent of skepticism toward rigid moralizing; the book posits that life is governed by a fickle, almost humorous cosmic order rather than a strictly earned sequence of cause and effect. It asks whether our plans matter at all, or if we are merely players in a game of chance where even a "prayer" is just a way to pass the time while fate decides our next move.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate a sharp, observational wit and the irony of human folly will find much to admire here. The prose is elegant and conversational, moving with the brisk, rhythmic pace of a classic folktale. It feels like a story told by a fireplace—cynical enough to be grounded in reality, yet fantastical enough to delight the imagination.

There are challenges for the modern reader, primarily in the period-specific attitudes toward women and the transactional nature of the romance, which reflect the social norms of the seventeenth century rather than modern sensibilities. The translation, while rich with period vocabulary, requires the reader to settle into a slightly older, more formal cadence of English. However, those who enjoy the "trickster" genre or the moral ambiguities found in the Decameron will feel right at home. What remains with you is the sheer absurdity of Reynold’s journey: the image of a man shivering in the dirt one moment and dining on luxury the next. It is a reminder that in the grand architecture of life, the most miserable setbacks can occasionally serve as the foundation for our most unexpected and profound strokes of good luck.