Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine — Volume 09

"Tales and Novels of J. de La Fontaine — Volume 09" by Jean de La Fontaine is a collection of short stories written in the 17th century, a period marked by the Baroque era in French literature. This volume includes three distinct tales: "Belphegor," "The Little Bell," and "The Glutton," which collectively explore themes of love, desire, human folly, and social critique through engaging narratives imbued with moral lessons and witty observations. In "Belphegor," the story follows the demon Belphegor as he is sent to Earth to observe human marriages, only to discover the discord and miseries that come with them, ultimately leading him to flee back to hell. "The Little Bell" tells of a naive youth who falls for a young girl, leading to a series of misunderstandings and dashed hopes. Finally, "The Glutton" presents a humorous tale about a sturgeon consumed by a glutton, whose excessive indulgence leads to dire consequences. Through these stories, La Fontaine deftly illustrates the complexity of human emotions, the pitfalls of excess, and the often humorous insights into society's vices. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Jean de La Fontaine was a French fabulist and one of the most widely read French poets of the 17th century. He is known above all for his Fables, which provided a model for subsequent fabulists across Europe and numerous alternative versions in France, as well as in French regional languages.