LES DEUX COQS
by Jean de La Fontaine · from Fables de La Fontaine
Adapted Version
Once, there were two roosters. They lived in a big farmyard. Red Rooster was happy. Brown Rooster was happy too. They walked together. They ate seeds together. Life was good for them. They were good friends.
One day, a Pretty Hen came. She had soft, brown feathers. She walked in the farmyard. Red Rooster saw her. Brown Rooster saw her. Red Rooster walked to her. Brown Rooster walked to her. A problem started then.
The two roosters began to fight. They pushed each other. They flapped their big wings. They pecked with their beaks. They made loud noises. Red Rooster was strong. Brown Rooster was strong too. They fought for the Pretty Hen. It was a long, hard fight.
At last, Red Rooster won. He was very proud. Brown Rooster lost the fight. He felt very sad. Brown Rooster ran away. He hid far away. Pretty Hen stayed with Red Rooster. Other hens also liked Red Rooster.
Brown Rooster was alone. He hid in a quiet place. He felt very sad. He missed the Pretty Hen. He saw Red Rooster with her. This made him feel strong. He wanted to be strong again. He practiced every day. He flapped his wings. He moved his beak. He got stronger.
Red Rooster felt very proud. He was the winner. He wanted everyone to know this. He flew up high. He landed on a roof. He stood there proudly. He crowed very, very loudly. "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he sang. He crowed again and again.
A Big Hawk flew in the sky. It heard Red Rooster's loud crow. The hawk was big. It saw Red Rooster on the roof. It flew down very fast. It grabbed Red Rooster with its feet. The proud rooster was gone. He flew away with the hawk.
Brown Rooster came back. He looked for Red Rooster. Red Rooster was not there anymore. Brown Rooster saw Pretty Hen. He walked to her. He was kind to her. Pretty Hen stayed with him. Other hens stayed with him too.
So, the Brown Rooster was happy. He was not too proud. This story tells us a lesson. It is not good to be too proud. It is not good to show off. It is better to be kind. It is better to be humble.
Original Story
LES DEUX COQS.
Deux coqs vivoient en paix: une poule survint,
Et voilà la guerre allumée.
Amour, tu perdis Troie! et c’est de toi que vint
Cette querelle envenimée
Où du sang des dieux même on vit le Xanthe teint!
Longtemps entre nos coqs le combat se maintint.
Le bruit s’en répandit par tout le voisinage:
La gent qui porte crête au spectacle accourut;
Plus d’une Hélène au beau plumage
Fut le prix du vainqueur. Le vaincu disparut:
Il alla se cacher au fond de sa retraite,
Pleura sa gloire et ses amours,
Ses amours qu’un rival, tout fier de sa défaite,
Possédoit à ses yeux. Il voyoit tous les jours
Cet objet rallumer sa haine et son courage;
Il aiguisoit son bec, battoit l’air et ses flancs,
Et s’exerçant contre les vents,
S’armoit d’une jalouse rage.
Il n’en eut pas besoin. Son vainqueur sur les toits
S’alla percher, et chanter sa victoire.
Un vautour entendit sa voix:
Adieu les amours et la gloire;
Tout cet orgueil périt sous l’ongle du vautour.
Enfin, par un fatal retour,
Son rival autour de la poule
S’en revint faire le coquet.
Je laisse à penser quel caquet;
Car il eut des femmes en foule.
La Fortune se plaît à faire de ces coups:
Tout vainqueur insolent à sa perte travaille.
Défions-nous du Sort, et prenons garde à nous
Après le gain d’une bataille.
XIV
Story DNA
Moral
Excessive pride and boasting after a victory can lead to one's downfall, as fortune is fickle.
Plot Summary
Two roosters live peacefully until a hen arrives, sparking a violent battle for her affection. One rooster emerges victorious, claiming the hen and the admiration of others, while the defeated rooster retreats to plot his return. Filled with pride, the victor perches on a rooftop to crow about his triumph, attracting a vulture who kills him. In a twist of fate, the previously defeated rooster returns to take the place of the fallen victor, illustrating that excessive pride can lead to a downfall and that fortune is unpredictable.
Themes
Emotional Arc
peace to conflict to triumph to downfall to ironic reversal
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Jean de La Fontaine's fables often drew on classical sources and traditional folk tales, adapting them with his distinctive moralizing and elegant verse. The allusion to the Trojan War elevates the seemingly simple conflict to a grander, more universal theme.
Plot Beats (9)
- Two roosters live peacefully together.
- A hen appears, causing immediate conflict between the roosters.
- A fierce battle ensues between the two roosters for the hen's affection.
- One rooster wins the fight, claiming the hen and the admiration of other hens.
- The defeated rooster retreats, hiding and lamenting his loss, while secretly training and sharpening his resolve.
- The victorious rooster, consumed by pride, flies to a rooftop to loudly proclaim his victory.
- A vulture hears the crowing and attacks the boastful rooster, killing him.
- The previously defeated rooster returns and takes the place of the fallen victor, surrounded by hens.
- The narrator concludes with a moral about the dangers of insolent pride and the unpredictability of fortune.
Characters
The Victorious Rooster
A robust and muscular rooster, with strong legs and a proud, upright stance. His feathers are likely vibrant and well-maintained, indicating good health and dominance.
Attire: Natural plumage, likely iridescent and multi-colored, perhaps with dominant reds, golds, and greens, typical of a proud rooster.
Wants: To win the affection of the hen and establish dominance over other roosters.
Flaw: Overconfidence and hubris. His boastful nature leads to his downfall.
From a victorious and dominant rooster, he falls due to his arrogance, becoming prey to a vulture.
Proud, arrogant, dominant, boastful, and somewhat reckless. He enjoys flaunting his success.
The Vanquished Rooster
A strong rooster, though perhaps slightly less imposing than his rival. His feathers might be a bit ruffled or less vibrant after his defeat, but he maintains a determined build.
Attire: Natural plumage, perhaps in earthy tones like browns, coppers, and dark reds, reflecting a more grounded or less flashy appearance.
Wants: To regain his honor, win back the hen, and defeat his rival.
Flaw: His initial defeat and humiliation, which drives his intense jealousy.
From a defeated and humiliated rooster, he bides his time and ultimately reclaims his position due to his rival's downfall.
Initially sorrowful and humiliated, but quickly becomes vengeful, determined, and patient. He is driven by jealousy and a desire for redemption.
The Hen
A hen with attractive plumage, described as 'beau plumage,' suggesting she is visually appealing to the roosters. She is likely of average size for a hen, with a soft, rounded build.
Attire: Natural plumage, perhaps a soft, appealing color like speckled brown, golden buff, or white, making her stand out as desirable.
Wants: To be courted and to mate with the strongest rooster.
Flaw: Her presence inadvertently causes conflict and violence.
She remains largely static, serving as the object of desire and the prize.
Desirable, a catalyst for conflict, and ultimately the prize for the dominant rooster. She is not active in the conflict but is its cause.
The Vulture
A large, powerful bird of prey with sharp talons and a strong, hooked beak. Its wingspan is impressive, allowing it to soar high above.
Attire: Dark, often dull-colored feathers, such as dark brown or black, suitable for camouflage and soaring. Its plumage is rugged and functional.
Wants: To hunt and feed.
Flaw: None apparent in the story; it is a force of nature.
It serves as an instrument of fate, bringing about the downfall of the arrogant rooster.
Opportunistic, predatory, and efficient. It acts purely on instinct, without malice, but with deadly effectiveness.
Locations
The Farmyard
A bustling, sun-drenched farmyard typical of rural France, with loose dirt and straw underfoot, surrounded by low wooden fences and perhaps a stone wall. Various farm animals mill about, observing the unfolding drama.
Mood: Initially peaceful, then tense and competitive, finally bustling with onlookers.
The initial peaceful coexistence of the two roosters, the arrival of the hen, and the subsequent fierce combat between the two roosters.
The Vanquished Rooster's Retreat
A dark, secluded corner or small, enclosed space within the farm's outbuildings, perhaps a dusty shed or a forgotten coop, offering a sense of isolation and gloom.
Mood: Desolate, melancholic, filled with bitter resentment and a thirst for revenge.
The vanquished rooster hides here, mourning his loss, observing his rival, and secretly training for a comeback.
Farmhouse Rooftop
The peak of a traditional French farmhouse roof, likely made of terracotta tiles, offering a vantage point over the farmyard. It's exposed to the open sky.
Mood: Triumphant and boastful, then suddenly perilous and fatal.
The victorious rooster perches here to crow about his triumph, attracting the attention of a predator.