LA JEUNE VEUVE
by Jean de La Fontaine · from Fables de La Fontaine
Adapted Version
Once there was a young woman named Lily. One day, Lily was very, very sad. Her heart felt heavy. But sadness does not stay long. Time helps people feel better. They can find joy again. Happy times always come back. This is Lily's story.
Lily's husband was very sick. He was going away. Lily cried many, many tears. She held his hand. "Oh, my dear husband!" she said. "I will be sad always. My heart will always hurt. I will never be happy again." She felt very, very sad.
Then Lily's husband was gone. He went far away. Lily was alone now. She felt very, very sad. Her house felt empty. The quiet was loud. She cried many tears each day. Her heart was full of sorrow. She missed him so much. She thought of him often.
Lily had a kind dad. Dad was very wise. He saw Lily's many tears. He did not stop her. Lily cried and cried for days. Dad let her be sad. He knew she needed time. He was very patient.
After some time, Dad spoke softly to Lily. "My dear Lily," he said. "You have cried enough now. Your eyes are tired. It is okay to be happy again. You can find a new friend. A good friend for you. Life can be joyful again."
Lily said, "No, Dad! Never!" She shook her head. Her voice was firm. "I will stay home alone always. I will not go out. I will be sad always. My heart will not change. I do not want a new friend."
Dad did not argue with Lily. He did not say more words. He just listened. He knew Lily's sadness. He knew her pain was deep. He waited calmly for her. He knew time would help her heart. He trusted time.
Some time passed. Days turned into weeks. Lily looked at her black clothes. They were very plain. She made them look a little nicer. She added a pretty ribbon to her dress. It was a small change. She changed her hair a little bit. Her clothes looked less sad now. She started to care again. She felt a tiny bit better. A small smile touched her lips.
Soon, Lily smiled more and more. Her smiles were big. She laughed with her friends. She even danced a little. Her steps were light. Her eyes were bright again. Her heart felt light and happy. She was happy again. Joy filled her days now. She felt like a new person. Life felt good.
Dad saw Lily's big smile. He saw her happy face each day. He felt warm inside. He was very happy for her. He knew she was okay now. Her heart was not sad. She was truly happy again. His worries were gone.
One day, Lily looked at Dad. She smiled a big, happy smile. Her eyes sparkled. "Dad," she asked him. Her voice was clear. "Where is that new friend? The one you told me about? I am ready now. I want to meet him. I want to make new things."
Lily was happy again. And her dad was happy too. Even with sadness, happy times return. Time helps us feel better. Happy times always come back. This is a good lesson for all.
Original Story
LA JEUNE VEUVE.
La perte d’un époux ne va point sans soupirs:
On fait beaucoup de bruit, et puis on se console.
Sur les ailes du Temps la tristesse s’envole:
Le Temps ramène les plaisirs.
Entre la veuve d’une année
Et la veuve d’une journée
La différence est grande: on ne croiroit jamais
Que ce fût la même personne;
L’une fait fuir les gens, et l’autre a mille attraits;
Aux soupirs vrais ou faux celle-là s’abandonne;
C’est toujours même note et pareil entretien.
On dit qu’on est inconsolable:
On le dit; mais il n’en est rien,
Comme on verra par cette fable,
Ou plutôt par la vérité.
L’époux d’une jeune beauté
Partoit pour l’autre monde. A ses côtés sa femme
Lui crioit: Attends-moi, je te suis; et mon âme,
Aussi bien que la tienne, est prête à s’envoler.
Le mari fait seul le voyage.
La belle avoit un père, homme prudent et sage;
Il laissa le torrent couler.
A la fin, pour la consoler:
Ma fille, lui dit-il, c’est trop verser de larmes;
Qu’a besoin le défunt que vous noyiez vos charmes?
Puisqu’il est des vivants, ne songez plus aux morts.
Je ne dis pas que tout à l’heure
Une condition meilleure
Change en des noces ces transports;
Mais après certain temps souffrez qu’on vous propose
Un époux, beau, bien fait, jeune, et tout autre chose
Que le défunt.—Ah! dit-elle aussitôt,
Un cloître est l’époux qu’il me faut.
Le père lui laissa digérer sa disgrâce.
Un mois de la sorte se passe;
L’autre mois on l’emploie à changer tous les jours
Quelque chose à l’habit, au linge, à la coiffure:
Le deuil enfin sert de parure,
En attendant d’autres atours.
Toute la bande des Amours
Revient au colombier; les jeux, les ris, la danse,
Ont aussi leur tour à la fin:
On se plonge soir et matin
Dans la fontaine de Jouvence.
Le père ne craint plus ce défunt tant chéri;
Mais comme il ne parloit de rien à notre belle:
Où donc est le jeune mari
Que vous m’avez promis? dit-elle.
Story DNA
Moral
Time heals all sorrows, and life's pleasures inevitably return, often sooner than one might expect.
Plot Summary
A young, beautiful widow dramatically vows eternal grief upon her husband's death, rejecting her wise father's suggestion of remarriage and declaring she will enter a cloister. Her father patiently allows her time to mourn. Over a month, her sorrow gradually dissipates, her mourning clothes transform into fashionable attire, and she regains her joy for life. Fully recovered, she then eagerly asks her father about the new husband he had promised her, illustrating that time heals all wounds and new pleasures inevitably return.
Themes
Emotional Arc
feigned sorrow to renewed joy
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Jean de La Fontaine's fables often satirized human nature and societal norms of 17th-century France, drawing on classical sources but applying them to contemporary observations.
Plot Beats (11)
- The narrator introduces the idea that grief for a spouse is often temporary and gives way to new pleasures over time.
- A young, beautiful woman's husband is dying, and she dramatically vows to follow him to the grave.
- Her husband dies, leaving her a widow.
- Her wise father allows her to grieve intensely, letting the 'torrent' of her sorrow run its course.
- After some time, the father gently suggests she has cried enough and that she should consider a new, living husband, rather than dwelling on the dead.
- The widow vehemently rejects this, declaring her intention to join a cloister.
- Her father does not press the issue, giving her space to process her grief.
- A month passes, and the widow gradually begins to modify her mourning clothes, making them more fashionable.
- Eventually, she fully recovers her spirits, embracing joy, laughter, and dance, as if rejuvenated.
- The father, seeing her transformation, no longer fears her attachment to the deceased husband.
- The widow, now fully recovered and looking forward, asks her father where the young husband he promised her is.
Characters
The Young Widow
Of a beauty that is still vibrant and appealing despite her initial grief. She is likely of average height and slender build, as her charms are easily 'drowned' by tears but quickly restored.
Attire: Initially wears heavy, somber mourning clothes, likely a black gown of wool or heavy silk, possibly with a simple white linen coif or veil. Over time, her mourning attire subtly transforms, becoming more fashionable and decorative, perhaps incorporating finer fabrics, lace, or more flattering cuts, eventually hinting at brighter colors or more elaborate coiffures.
Wants: To find happiness and companionship, to live a full life, and to move past her grief, even if she initially resists the idea.
Flaw: A certain superficiality in her grief, easily swayed by external circumstances and the passage of time, making her initial declarations of eternal sorrow less genuine.
Transforms from a seemingly inconsolable widow, declaring she will follow her husband to the grave or enter a cloister, to a vibrant young woman eager for a new husband and the joys of life.
Initially dramatic and seemingly inconsolable, she is actually quite adaptable, pragmatic, and ultimately pleasure-seeking. She is quick to embrace new opportunities and is not one to dwell on sorrow indefinitely.
The Father
A man of mature years, likely of average height and build, with an air of quiet authority and wisdom. His features would suggest a life of experience and thoughtful observation.
Attire: Dressed in respectable, understated 17th-century French attire, such as a dark wool doublet, breeches, and a plain linen shirt, perhaps with a simple ruff or band collar. His clothing would be practical and well-maintained, reflecting his prudence.
Wants: To ensure his daughter's long-term happiness and well-being, gently guiding her back to life after her loss.
Flaw: None explicitly shown, his wisdom and patience seem to be his defining traits.
Remains a consistent figure of wisdom and support, his actions demonstrating the fable's moral about the passage of time and grief.
Prudent, wise, patient, and observant. He understands human nature and the passage of time, allowing events to unfold naturally rather than forcing them.
The Deceased Husband
Described only as the 'époux d’une jeune beauté', implying he was likely handsome and youthful, matching his wife's beauty.
Attire: Not described, as he is departing for 'the other world'.
Wants: To live, but ultimately succumbs to fate.
Flaw: Mortality.
His death initiates the story's central conflict of grief and recovery.
Not developed, serves as a catalyst for the widow's grief and subsequent recovery.
Locations
The Young Widow's Home
A refined, well-appointed home, likely a bourgeois residence in 17th-century France, where the young widow initially mourns her husband. It transitions from a somber space of grief to one of renewed interest in appearance and social life.
Mood: Initially somber and sorrowful, gradually shifting to one of quiet contemplation, then to a more lively and optimistic mood as the widow recovers.
The setting for the initial mourning period, the father's attempts at consolation, and the widow's gradual transformation from grief to a renewed interest in life and remarriage.