Des singes dans un bois jouoient \u00e0 la main chaude ;
\nCertaine guenon moricaude,
\nAssise gravement, tenoit sur ses genoux
\nLa t\u00eate de celui qui, courbant son \u00e9chine,
\nSur sa main recevoit les coups.
\nOn frappoit fort, & puis devine !
\nIl ne devinoit point ; c\u2019\u00e9toit alors des ris,
\nDes sauts, des gambades, des cris.
\nAttir\u00e9 par le bruit du fond de sa tani\u00e8re,
\nUn jeune l\u00e9opard, prince assez d\u00e9bonnaire,
\nSe pr\u00e9sente au milieu de nos singes joyeux.
\nTout tremble \u00e0 son aspect. Continuez vos jeux,
\nLeur dit le l\u00e9opard, je n\u2019en veux \u00e0 personne ;
\nRassurez-vous, j\u2019ai l\u2019\u00e2me bonne ;
\nEt je viens m\u00eame ici, comme particulier,
\nA vos plaisirs m\u2019associer.
\nJouons, je suis de la partie.
\nAh ! monseigneur, quelle bont\u00e9 !
\nQuoi ! Votre Altesse veut, quittant sa dignit\u00e9,
\nDescendre jusqu\u2019\u00e0 nous ? \u2013 Oui, c\u2019est ma fantaisie.
\nMon altesse eut toujours de la philosophie,
\nEt sait que tous les animaux
\nSont \u00e9gaux.
\nJouons donc, mes amis, jouons, je vous en prie.
\nLes singes, enchant\u00e9s, crurent \u00e0 ce discours,
\nComme l\u2019on y croira toujours.
\nToute la troupe joviale
\nSe remet \u00e0 jouer : l\u2019un d\u2019entre eux tend la main,
\nLe l\u00e9opard frappe, & soudain
\nOn voit couler du sang sous la griffe royale.
\nLe singe, cette fois, devina qui frappoit ;
\nMais il s\u2019en alla sans le dire.
\nSes compagnons faisoient semblant de rire,
\nEt le l\u00e9opard seul riait.
\nBient\u00f4t chacun s\u2019excuse & s\u2019\u00e9chappe \u00e0 la h\u00e2te,
\nEn se disant entre leurs dents :
\nNe jouons point avec les grands,
\nLe plus doux a toujours des griffes \u00e0 la patte.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"annee":[568],"poems-book":[583],"poemes-theme":[],"poete":[566],"class_list":["post-12413","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-568","poems-book-fables-de-florian","poete-jean-pierre-claris-de-florian"],"yoast_head":"\n