L’ŒIL DU MAITRE
by Jean de La Fontaine · from Fables de La Fontaine
Adapted Version
A scared deer ran into a big stable. He wanted to hide. Hunters chased him. The deer was very afraid. He ran very fast. He saw a big stable. It had many stalls. Cows lived there. It was a dark, quiet place. The deer ran inside fast. He hoped to be safe from the hunters.
Big oxen stood inside. They saw the deer. "Go away," an ox said. "This is not safe here. The farmer will come." The deer felt scared. "Please, friends," he said. "Do not tell anyone. I will help you later. I promise this. You will not be sorry." The oxen looked. They felt a little sad for the deer.
The oxen said, "We will keep your secret. You can stay." The deer was happy. He quickly hid in a dark corner. He stayed very still. He felt a little safe now. He thought he was very clever. He closed his eyes. He waited there.
Later, people came in. They were workers. They brought fresh grass. They gave food to the oxen. They walked around the stable. They did not look well. They did not see the deer. The deer stayed very still. He was still hidden. He did not move at all.
The deer felt very happy. He thought he was safe. The workers left the stable. He planned to leave soon. He would run back to the forest. He felt good now. He was not scared now. He felt a little brave.
One ox ate his grass slowly. He looked at the deer. "Wait," the ox said. "The Farmer did not come yet. He is the owner of this stable. He looks at all things. He looks very well. You are not safe now. He will come soon. Be safe." The deer listened to the ox.
Then the Farmer came in. He walked into the stable. He looked all around. He saw the hay. "This hay is too little," he said. He saw the old straw on the floor. "This straw is old," he said. "Get new straw." He saw small spiders' webs. "Clean these webs," he told his workers. He saw all things. He looked very well at each part.
The Farmer looked at the oxen. He looked at their big heads. Then he saw a new head. It was not an ox head. It was big and had antlers. It was the deer's head. The Farmer saw the deer. The deer could not hide now. The secret was out.
The Farmer called his workers. "Look!" he said. "A deer is here! Find him!" The workers came fast. They found the deer. The deer was caught. They took the deer away. He was not in the stable now. The stable was empty of the deer.
The deer was gone. The stable was clean again. The oxen stood still in their stalls. The Farmer looked at all things. He saw each small thing. The Farmer saw all things. This is true.
Original Story
L’ŒIL DU MAITRE.
Un cerf, s’étant sauvé dans une étable à bœufs,
Fut d’abord averti par eux
Qu’il cherchât un meilleur asile.
Mes frères, leur dit-il, ne me décelez pas;
Je vous enseignerai les pâtis les plus gras;
Ce service vous peut quelque jour être utile,
Et vous n’en aurez point regret.
Les bœufs, à toutes fins, promirent le secret.
Il se cache en un coin, respire et prend courage.
Sur le soir on apporte herbe fraîche et fourrage,
Comme l’on faisoit tous les jours:
L’on va, l’on vient, les valets font cent tours,
L’intendant même; et pas un d’aventure
N’aperçut ni cor, ni ramure,
Ni cerf enfin. L’habitant des forêts
Rend déjà grâce aux bœufs, attend dans cette étable
Que, chacun retournant au travail de Cérès,
Il trouve pour sortir un moment favorable.
L’un des bœufs ruminant lui dit: Cela va bien;
Mais quoi! l’homme aux cent yeux n’a pas fait sa revue:
Je crains fort pour toi sa venue;
Jusque-là, pauvre cerf, ne te vante de rien.
Là-dessus le maître entre, et vient faire sa ronde.
Qu’est ceci? dit-il à son monde;
Je trouve bien peu d’herbe en tous ces râteliers.
Cette litière est vieille, allez vite aux greniers.
Je veux voir désormais vos bêtes mieux soignées.
Que coûte-t-il d’ôter toutes ces araignées?
Ne sauroit-on ranger ces jougs et ces colliers?
En regardant à tout, il voit une autre tête
Que celles qu’il voyoit d’ordinaire en ce lieu.
Le cerf est reconnu: chacun prend un épieu;
Chacun donne un coup à la bête.
Ses larmes ne sauroient la sauver du trépas.
On l’emporte, on la sale, on en fait maint repas.
Dont maint voisin s’éjouit d’être.
Phèdre sur ce sujet dit fort élégamment:
Il n’est, pour voir, que l’œil du maître.
Quant à moi, j’y mettrois encor l’œil de l’amant.
XXII
Story DNA
Moral
No one can oversee affairs as effectively as the master himself.
Plot Summary
A stag, fleeing hunters, hides in a cattle stable and convinces the oxen to keep his secret. Servants and the steward fail to notice him, giving the stag false hope of escape. However, an ox warns him that the master has yet to inspect the stable. When the master arrives, his meticulous eye quickly spots the unusual presence, leading to the stag's immediate discovery and death.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Jean de La Fontaine's fables often drew upon classical sources like Aesop and Phaedrus, adapting them to French society and adding his own moral observations. This fable specifically references Phaedrus.
Plot Beats (10)
- A stag, fleeing hunters, takes refuge in a cattle stable.
- The oxen in the stable warn the stag to find a better hiding place, but he pleads with them to keep his presence a secret, promising future favors.
- The oxen agree to conceal him, and the stag hides in a corner, feeling a sense of relief.
- Later that evening, servants and the steward enter the stable to feed the cattle, but none of them notice the stag.
- The stag, believing he is safe, begins to relax and plans to leave when the stable is empty.
- One of the oxen, ruminating, cautions the stag that the master has not yet made his rounds, implying the danger is not over.
- The master then enters the stable and begins a thorough inspection, noticing small details like insufficient hay, old litter, and cobwebs.
- During his meticulous inspection, the master spots the stag's head, which is different from his usual cattle.
- Recognized, the stag is immediately attacked by the servants with spears and killed.
- The stag's body is taken away, salted, and prepared for many meals, to the delight of the neighbors.
Characters
The Stag
A large, powerful stag, likely a red deer, with a muscular build and long, slender legs. His coat is a rich reddish-brown, typical of a healthy forest animal, and he moves with a natural grace despite his current fear.
Attire: None, as he is a wild animal.
Wants: To escape the hunters and survive.
Flaw: Overconfidence in his hiding spot and underestimation of the master's keen eye. His large antlers, while a symbol of strength, also make him easily identifiable.
Starts hopeful and resourceful, believing he has found a safe haven, but ends tragically, discovered and killed, serving as a cautionary tale.
Resourceful (in finding a hiding place), persuasive (in convincing the oxen), hopeful, and ultimately, desperate and vulnerable.
The Master
A man of mature age, likely a landowner or farmer, of average height and build, but with an air of authority. His hands might be calloused from work, but his overall appearance suggests a man of some means and meticulous habits.
Attire: Practical but well-maintained clothing appropriate for a French landowner of the 17th century. Perhaps a sturdy wool doublet in a muted color (like brown or dark green), a linen shirt underneath, breeches, and practical leather boots. He might wear a simple, unadorned hat when outdoors, but indoors, his head would be bare.
Wants: To ensure his property is well-maintained and his animals are properly cared for, and to maintain order and efficiency.
Flaw: Perhaps an overly critical nature, though in this story, it serves him well.
Remains consistent throughout the story, embodying the principle that the master's eye is the most effective form of oversight.
Meticulous, observant, authoritative, demanding, and practical. He is not cruel for cruelty's sake, but rather efficient and focused on the proper management of his estate.
The Oxen
Large, powerful draft animals, likely a breed common in 17th-century France, such as Charolais or Salers, with a sturdy, muscular build. Their coats are a uniform, earthy color, perhaps cream, light brown, or reddish-brown, and they possess strong, broad backs.
Attire: None, though they wear yokes and collars for their work.
Wants: To live peacefully and perform their duties, and to offer a temporary kindness to a fellow creature.
Flaw: Their inability to truly protect the stag from their master's authority.
They serve as a voice of caution and wisdom, first by warning the stag, then by offering a temporary refuge, and finally by delivering a prophetic warning about the master's arrival.
Initially cautious and practical (warning the stag), then compassionate (promising secrecy), and finally wise and realistic (the ruminating ox's warning). They are loyal to their master but also capable of empathy.
Locations
Cattle Stable
A rustic, enclosed space with wooden stalls and râteliers (hay racks) for cattle. The floor is covered with old, dirty straw litter. Cobwebs hang in the corners and on the walls. Yokes and collars are stored somewhat haphazardly.
Mood: Initially tense and hidden, then seemingly safe, finally becoming a place of discovery and doom.
The stag seeks refuge here, is hidden by the oxen, and is ultimately discovered and killed by the master.