LES DEUX CHÈVRES
by Jean de La Fontaine · from Fables de La Fontaine
Adapted Version
Once, there were two proud goats. They loved to explore. First Goat was very proud. Second Goat was very proud too. They left their green fields. They wanted to find new places. They went far away. They found a tricky path. It was a new adventure. They liked to climb.
They came to a river. The river was very deep. The water moved very fast. There was a bridge over the river. The bridge was a thin plank of wood. It was very, very narrow. Only one goat could walk on it. Two goats could not cross. It was a scary bridge. The goats saw the bridge.
First Goat was very proud. She did not wait. She stepped onto the thin plank. Second Goat was very proud too. She did not wait either. She stepped onto the thin plank. They walked from different sides. They walked at the same time. They did not see the danger.
The goats walked and walked. They walked to the middle of the plank. They met in the middle. They were nose to nose. There was no room to pass. The plank was too small. They could not move.
First Goat was very stubborn. She would not move back. "I will not move!" she thought. Second Goat was very stubborn too. She would not move back either. "I will not move!" she thought. They were both too proud. No goat would go back. No goat would let the other pass. They just stood there.
Each goat thought she was the very best. Each goat thought she was very important. They were very proud of themselves. They felt they were special goats. So they would not move. They stood still.
They pushed each other. They did not move back. They pushed and pushed. The plank shook. They lost their balance. Both goats fell down. Splash! They fell into the deep river. The water was fast. Both proud goats fell into the water.
It is good to share. Being too proud can make bad things happen.
Original Story
LES DEUX CHÈVRES.
Dès que les chèvres ont brouté,
Certain esprit de liberté
Leur fait chercher fortune: elles vont en voyage
Vers les endroits de pâturage
Les moins fréquentés des humains:
Là, s’il est quelque lieu sans route et sans chemins,
Un rocher, quelque mont pendant en précipices,
C’est où ces dames vont promener leurs caprices.
Rien ne peut arrêter cet animal grimpant.
Deux chèvres donc s’émancipant,
Toutes deux ayant patte blanche,
Quittèrent les bas prés, chacune de sa part:
L’une vers l’autre alloit pour quelque bon hasard.
Un ruisseau se rencontre, et pour pont une planche.
Deux belettes à peine auroient passé de front
Sur ce pont:
D’ailleurs, l’onde rapide et le ruisseau profond
Devoient faire trembler de peur ces amazones.
Malgré tant de dangers, l’une de ces personnes
Pose un pied sur la planche, et l’autre en fait autant.
Je m’imagine voir, avec Louis le Grand,
Philippe Quatre qui s’avance
Dans l’île de la Conférence.
Ainsi s’avançoient pas à pas,
Nez à nez, nos aventurières,
Qui toutes deux étant fort fières,
Vers le milieu du pont ne se voulurent pas
L’une à l’autre céder. Elles avoient la gloire
De compter dans leur race, à ce que dit l’histoire,
L’une, certaine chèvre, au mérite sans pair,
Dont Polyphème fit présent à Galathée;
Et l’autre, la chèvre Amalthée,
Par qui fut nourri Jupiter.
Faute de reculer, leur chute fut commune:
Toutes deux tombèrent dans l’eau.
Cet accident n’est pas nouveau
Dans le chemin de la fortune.
A
MONSEIGNEUR LE DUC DE BOURGOGNE
QUI AVOIT DEMANDÉ A M. DE LA FONTAINE UNE FABLE QUI FUT NOMMÉE
LE CHAT ET LA SOURIS.
Pour plaire au jeune prince à qui la Renommée
Destine un temple en mes écrits,
Comment composerai-je une fable nommée
Le chat et la souris?
Dois-je représenter dans ces vers une belle
Qui, douce en apparence, et toutefois cruelle,
Va se jouant des cœurs que ses charmes ont pris
Comme le chat de la souris?
Prendrai-je pour sujet les jeux de la Fortune?
Rien ne lui convient mieux: et c’est chose commune
Que de lui voir traiter ceux qu’on croit ses amis
Comme le chat fait la souris.
Introduirai-je un roi qu’entre ses favoris
Elle respecte seul, roi qui fixe sa roue,
Qui n’est point empêché d’un monde d’ennemis,
Et qui des plus puissants, quand il lui plaît, se joue
Comme le chat de la souris?
Mais insensiblement, dans le tour que j’ai pris,
Mon dessein se rencontre; et, si je ne m’abuse,
Je pourrois tout gâter par de plus longs récits:
Le jeune prince alors se joueroit de ma muse
Comme le chat de la souris.
V
Story DNA
Moral
Excessive pride and stubbornness can lead to mutual destruction, especially when compromise is necessary.
Plot Summary
Two proud and adventurous goats wander into dangerous territory and find themselves on a very narrow plank bridge over a deep, swift stream. They meet in the middle, nose to nose, but neither is willing to back down or yield to the other, each believing their lineage grants them superiority. Their shared stubbornness prevents either from retreating, leading to both losing their balance and falling into the water below, a consequence of their unyielding pride.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to humility (through consequence)
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Jean de La Fontaine's fables often satirized contemporary society and politics, using animal characters to convey moral lessons. The reference to Louis le Grand and Philippe Quatre alludes to political standoffs, making the fable a commentary on human, not just animal, behavior.
Plot Beats (7)
- Two adventurous and independent goats leave their usual pastures to explore less frequented, dangerous terrain.
- They arrive at a deep, fast-flowing stream crossed only by a very narrow plank, barely wide enough for one animal.
- Despite the obvious danger, both goats decide to cross the plank simultaneously from opposite ends.
- They meet in the middle of the narrow bridge, nose to nose, with no room to pass.
- Neither goat is willing to back down or yield the path to the other, due to their inherent pride.
- The narrator emphasizes their noble lineage, highlighting their inherited stubbornness and sense of self-importance.
- Because neither will retreat, they both lose their footing and fall into the deep, swift water below.
Characters
First Goat
A medium-sized, agile goat with a sturdy build, well-muscled legs, and cloven hooves adapted for climbing. Her coat is a pristine white, indicating her 'patte blanche' (clean slate/innocence, but also literally white paw). She has a lean, athletic physique.
Attire: None, as she is an animal. Her natural coat is her 'attire'.
Wants: To explore new pastures and assert her independence, driven by a strong sense of self-importance and pride in her lineage.
Flaw: Excessive pride and stubbornness, leading to an inability to compromise or back down, even in dangerous situations.
She experiences a downfall due to her unyielding pride, learning (or rather, suffering the consequence) that stubbornness can lead to ruin.
Proud, adventurous, stubborn, independent, and perhaps a bit reckless. She values her freedom and is unwilling to yield.
Second Goat
A medium-sized, agile goat with a sturdy build, well-muscled legs, and cloven hooves adapted for climbing. Her coat is a pristine white, indicating her 'patte blanche' (clean slate/innocence, but also literally white paw). She has a lean, athletic physique.
Attire: None, as she is an animal. Her natural coat is her 'attire'.
Wants: To explore new pastures and assert her independence, driven by a strong sense of self-importance and pride in her lineage.
Flaw: Excessive pride and stubbornness, leading to an inability to compromise or back down, even in dangerous situations.
She experiences a downfall due to her unyielding pride, learning (or rather, suffering the consequence) that stubbornness can lead to ruin.
Proud, adventurous, stubborn, independent, and perhaps a bit reckless. She values her freedom and is unwilling to yield.
Locations
Mountain Pastures
High-altitude grazing lands, less frequented by humans, featuring steep, rocky terrain and precipices. The ground is likely covered in sparse, tough grasses and low-lying shrubs typical of mountainous regions in France.
Mood: wild, adventurous, free, but also perilous
The two goats, seeking freedom and adventure, venture into these less-traveled, dangerous grazing areas.
Narrow Plank Bridge over a Deep Stream
A single, narrow wooden plank serving as a bridge over a swift, deep stream. The stream's banks are likely overgrown with common European riparian plants like reeds and willows. The water is fast-flowing and dark, suggesting depth and danger.
Mood: tense, dangerous, fateful
The two proud goats meet on this extremely narrow bridge, refusing to yield, leading to their shared downfall.