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LiteratureEasy

La Fontaine's Fables: Morals and Animals

The Greek fabulist who inspired La Fontaine, the animal that wants to grow as big as the Ox, the wolf's pretext for eating the Lamb, the Rat that saves the Lion, the race of the Hare and the Tortoise, what the Crow holds in its beak facing the Fox. Find the details La Fontaine slipped in between 1668 and 1694 under Louis XIV.

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The 10 quiz questions

Question 1 : In "The Fox and the Crow", what does the Crow hold in its beak?

Possible answers:

  • A walnut
  • A cheese
  • A piece of bread
  • A cherry

Explanation: The Crow holds a cheese that the Fox covets. Through flattery, the Fox makes the Crow sing, causing it to drop the cheese.

Question 2 : What does the Grasshopper do all summer in "The Grasshopper and the Ant"?

Possible answers:

  • She dances
  • She travels
  • She sleeps
  • She sings

Explanation: The Grasshopper sings all summer instead of working, while the Ant stores provisions. When winter comes, the Grasshopper is left with nothing.

Question 3 : In "The Tortoise and the Hare", who wins the race?

Possible answers:

  • The Hare
  • They tie
  • Neither
  • The Tortoise

Explanation: The Tortoise wins because the Hare, overconfident, stops to sleep. The moral: "Slow and steady wins the race."

Question 4 : In which century did Jean de La Fontaine live and write his fables?

Possible answers:

  • 15th century
  • 16th century
  • 17th century
  • 18th century

Explanation: Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695) lived in the 17th century, during the reign of Louis XIV. His Fables were published between 1668 and 1694.

Question 5 : In "The Lion and the Mouse", what does the Mouse do to save the Lion?

Possible answers:

  • He calls for help
  • He gnaws through the net
  • He scares the hunters
  • He digs a tunnel

Explanation: The Mouse gnaws through the net trapping the Lion. This fable teaches that the small can help the great: "Little friends may prove great friends."

Question 6 : Which animal wants to make itself as big as an Ox in a famous fable?

Possible answers:

  • The Frog
  • The Lizard
  • The Mouse
  • The Toad

Explanation: In "The Frog Who Wished to Be as Big as an Ox", the frog inflates so much it bursts. A moral against vanity and envy.

Question 7 : Which Greek fabulist inspired Jean de La Fontaine for many of his fables?

Possible answers:

  • Aesop
  • Aristophanes
  • Sophocles
  • Homer

Explanation: Aesop, a Greek fabulist from the 6th century BC, is La Fontaine's main source of inspiration, who adapted and enriched his stories.

Question 8 : What is the moral of "The Fox and the Crow"?

Possible answers:

  • Beware of flatterers
  • Unity is strength
  • Slow and steady wins the race
  • Cunning is better than strength

Explanation: The moral "Every flatterer lives at the expense of those who listen" warns against flattery and the vanity that blinds us.

Question 9 : In "The Wolf and the Lamb", what reason does the Wolf give for eating the Lamb?

Possible answers:

  • The Lamb insulted him
  • The Lamb made noise
  • The Lamb is muddying his water
  • The Lamb stole his food

Explanation: The Wolf accuses the Lamb of muddying its water, but it's just a pretext. The moral: "Might makes right."

Question 10 : How many books make up the complete Fables of La Fontaine?

Possible answers:

  • 6 books
  • 10 books
  • 12 books
  • 15 books

Explanation: La Fontaine's Fables are divided into 12 books, published in three collections between 1668 and 1694, totaling 243 fables.

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