TIRCIS ET AMARANTE
by Jean de La Fontaine · from Fables de La Fontaine
Adapted Version
Hear a story. A boy and girl lived. Tircis was a shepherd boy. Amarante was a shepherd girl. They lived in a sunny village. They often met there.
Tircis went to Amarante. "I know a special feeling," he said. "It makes you happy. You will like this feeling very much. I hope you feel it too. It is very nice."
"I am honest," Tircis said. "I would not trick you. I like you very much. Please believe me always. My heart is true."
Amarante looked at Tircis. "What is this special feeling?" she asked him. "What does it feel like? Tell me more. I want to know."
"It is liking someone a lot," Tircis said. "You think about them all the time. Your face gets red when they are near. You feel happy inside your heart. You want to see them always. You sigh, but you do not know why you sigh. It is a big feeling. You forget other things. You just see their face."
Amarante smiled a big smile. "Oh, I know this feeling!" she said. Tircis felt very happy. "She likes me too!" he thought. "I did it!" "I feel this way," Amarante said. "I feel it for Clidamant. He is a kind boy." Tircis stopped smiling. He felt very sad. He felt a little angry. His hope was gone. This is the story's lesson. Tircis wanted to help himself. But he helped someone else.
Original Story
TIRCIS ET AMARANTE.
POUR MADEMOISELLE DE SILLERY.
J’avois Ésope quitté,
Pour être tout à Boccace;
Mais une divinité
Veut revoir sur le Parnasse
Des fables de ma façon.
Or, d’aller lui dire: Non,
Sans quelque valable excuse,
Ce n’est pas comme on en use
Avec des divinités,
Surtout quand ce sont de celles
Que la qualité de belles
Fait reines des volontés.
Car, afin que l’on le sache,
C’est Sillery qui s’attache
A vouloir que de nouveau
Sire loup, sire corbeau,
Chez moi se parlent en rime.
Qui dit Sillery dit tout:
Peu de gens en leur estime
Lui refusent le haut bout:
Comment le pourroit-on faire?
Pour venir à notre affaire,
Mes contes, à son avis,
Sont obscurs: les beaux esprits
N’entendent pas toute chose.
Faisons donc quelques récits
Qu’elle déchiffre sans glose:
Amenons des bergers, et puis nous rimerons
Ce que disent entre eux les loups et les moutons.
Tircis disoit un jour à la jeune Amarante:
Ah! si vous connoissiez comme moi certain mal
Qui nous plaît et qui nous enchante,
Il n’est bien sous le ciel qui vous parût égal!
Souffrez qu’on vous le communique;
Croyez-moi, n’ayez point de peur:
Voudrois-je vous tromper, vous, pour qui je me pique
Des plus doux sentiments que puisse avoir un cœur?
Amarante aussitôt réplique:
Comment l’appelez-vous, ce mal? quel est son nom?—
L’amour.—Ce mot est beau: dites-moi quelques marques
A quoi je le pourrai connoître: que sent-on?—
Des peines près de qui le plaisir des monarques
Est ennuyeux et fade: on s’oublie, on se plaît
Toute seule en une forêt.
Se mire-t-on près d’un rivage,
Ce n’est pas soi qu’on voit; on ne voit qu’une image
Qui sans cesse revient, et qui suit en tous lieux:
Pour tout le reste on est sans yeux.
Il est un berger du village
Dont l’abord, dont la voix, dont le nom fait rougir:
On soupire à son souvenir;
On ne sait pas pourquoi, cependant on soupire;
On a peur de le voir, encor qu’on le désire.
Amarante dit à l’instant:
Oh! oh! c’est là ce mal que vous me prêchez tant!
Il ne m’est pas nouveau; je pense le connoître.
Tircis à son but croyoit être,
Quand la belle ajouta: Voilà tout justement
Ce que je sens pour Clidamant.
L’autre pensa mourir de dépit et de honte.
Il est force gens comme lui,
Qui prétendent n’agir que pour leur propre compte,
Et qui font le marché d’autrui.
XIV
Story DNA
Moral
People often believe they are pursuing their own interests, only to find they are inadvertently serving someone else's.
Plot Summary
The narrator explains he is writing a simpler fable for Mademoiselle de Sillery. In this tale, a shepherd named Tircis attempts to woo the young Amarante by eloquently describing the symptoms of love, hoping she will recognize these feelings as being for him. Amarante listens intently and confirms she knows this 'mal' (illness), leading Tircis to believe he has succeeded. However, to his dismay, Amarante reveals she feels all those exact symptoms for another shepherd, Clidamant. The story concludes with Tircis's humiliation and a moral about people often working for others' benefit while believing they are serving themselves.
Themes
Emotional Arc
hope to disappointment
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Jean de La Fontaine was a 17th-century French fabulist, known for his moralistic fables often inspired by classical sources. This particular fable is a 'conte' (tale) rather than a traditional animal fable, written as a direct request from a patron, Mademoiselle de Sillery.
Plot Beats (12)
- The narrator introduces the poem, explaining he is writing a fable for Mademoiselle de Sillery, who desires simpler, clearer stories about shepherds.
- The narrator acknowledges Sillery's influence and beauty, stating he must comply with her request.
- He decides to present a story with shepherds, while still hinting at the traditional animal fables.
- Tircis approaches Amarante and begins to describe a 'mal' (illness) that is both pleasing and enchanting, implying it is love for him.
- He assures her he would not deceive her, as he holds the sweetest sentiments for her.
- Amarante asks for the name of this 'mal' and its symptoms.
- Tircis reveals it is 'Love' and describes its characteristics: painful pleasures, self-forgetfulness, seeing only the beloved's image, blushing at their name, sighing, and a mix of fear and desire.
- Amarante exclaims that she recognizes these feelings.
- Tircis believes he has succeeded in making her fall for him.
- Amarante clarifies that she feels all these symptoms for Clidamant.
- Tircis is filled with despair, shame, and spite.
- The narrator concludes with a moral about people who think they are acting for themselves but end up serving others' interests.
Characters
Tircis
A slender young man, likely of average height for the period, with the lean build of a shepherd. His hands might be slightly calloused from his work, but his overall appearance is refined enough to engage in poetic discourse.
Attire: Typical 17th-century French shepherd's attire, but of a slightly idealized, pastoral quality. He would wear a simple, loose-fitting linen shirt, perhaps in an off-white or light blue, under a waistcoat of sturdy wool or homespun fabric in earthy tones like brown or forest green. Breeches of a similar material, tucked into simple leather boots or tied at the knee. A small, practical satchel might hang from his shoulder.
Wants: To win Amarante's affection and convince her to fall in love with him.
Flaw: Overconfidence and a lack of true understanding of Amarante's feelings, leading him to misinterpret her responses.
He begins as a confident suitor, believing he is on the verge of success, but ends in bitter disappointment and shame when his advances are rejected in favor of another.
Passionate, eloquent, somewhat self-absorbed, hopeful, easily deflated.
Amarante
A young woman of graceful bearing, likely of average height and a delicate, perhaps slightly slender build, befitting a pastoral setting. Her movements are probably gentle and unhurried.
Attire: A charming 17th-century French shepherdess dress. This would be a simple yet elegant gown, perhaps made of fine linen or light wool, in soft pastel colors like sky blue, pale green, or cream. It might feature a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt, possibly with a modest amount of lace or simple embroidery at the cuffs or neckline. She might wear a small, decorative apron over her dress and simple, comfortable leather shoes.
Wants: To understand the 'mal' (love) Tircis describes and to express her true feelings.
Flaw: Her innocence makes her somewhat oblivious to Tircis's personal agenda, leading her to inadvertently crush his hopes.
She begins as an innocent listener, learns about the concept of 'love' from Tircis, and then reveals her own experience of it, inadvertently causing Tircis's downfall.
Innocent, curious, sincere, perhaps a little naive about Tircis's intentions, but clear about her own feelings.
Clidamant
Implied to be a handsome young man, as his name and presence evoke strong feelings in Amarante. Likely of a pleasant build, perhaps slightly more robust than Tircis, suggesting a healthy, active life.
Attire: Similar to Tircis, but perhaps with a slightly more confident or appealing presentation, as he has captured Amarante's heart. Sturdy, well-fitting shepherd's attire in pleasant, earthy tones, perhaps with a touch more flair in a scarf or a well-made hat.
Wants: Not directly involved in the narrative, but his existence motivates Amarante's feelings.
Flaw: Not applicable, as he is not an active character.
Does not have an arc, as he is only mentioned.
Not explicitly described, but implied to be charming and desirable, as he is the object of Amarante's affection.
Locations
Pastoral Meadow
A verdant, open meadow, likely with wildflowers, where shepherds and shepherdesses would tend their flocks and converse. The air is fresh and clear, typical of a rural French landscape.
Mood: Idyllic, romantic, slightly melancholic due to unrequited love
Tircis attempts to describe love to Amarante, believing he is winning her affection, only to discover she feels it for someone else.
Forest Seclusion
A secluded part of a forest, dense enough to offer privacy and solitude, where one might wander lost in thought. The light would be dappled, filtering through a canopy of deciduous trees.
Mood: Introspective, solitary, reflective
Amarante describes one of the symptoms of love as 'one forgets oneself, one enjoys being alone in a forest,' highlighting the introspective nature of early love.
Riverside Mirror
The edge of a calm river or stream, with clear water reflecting the surroundings. The banks are likely soft earth or pebbles, possibly lined with reeds or willow trees.
Mood: Dreamy, reflective, slightly melancholic
Amarante describes another symptom of love: 'If one looks at oneself near a river, it is not oneself one sees; one sees only an image that constantly returns.'