The Weasel in the Granary

"The Weasel in the Granary" is a collection of fables by Jean de La Fontaine. Each tale, including the titular story about a weasel trapped in a granary, offers moralistic reflections on human nature and behavior. With his characteristic wit, a keen eye for detail, and an aptitude for poetic nuance, de La Fontaine presents a diverse selection of stories that challenge readers to contemplate their own actions and morals.

• Fable

								
Once Madame Weasel, slender-waisted, thin,
Into a granary, by a narrow chink,
Crept, sick and hungry; quick she glided in,
To eat her fill, and she was wise, I think.
    There at her ease,
    No fear of fees,
She gnawed, and nibbled:--gracious, what a life!
The bacon melted in the strife.
    Plump and rotund she grew,
    As fat as two.
    A week was over,
    Spent in clover.
But one day, when she'd done--and that not badly--
    A noise alarmed her sadly.
She tried the hole she'd entered, wishing to retreat;
    'Twas no such easy feat.
Was she mistaken?--no, the selfsame door:
    She tried it, o'er and o'er.
"Yes, yes," she said, "it is the place, I know;
I passed here but a week ago."
A Rat who saw her puzzled, slily spoke--
"Your pouch was emptier then, before your fast you broke.
Empty you came, and empty you must quit:
I tell you what I've told a dozen more.
But don't perplex the matter, I implore;
They differed from you in some ways, I do admit."
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