Sur la rive du Nil un jour deux beaux enfants
\nS\u2019amusoient \u00e0 faire sur l\u2019onde,
\nAvec des cailloux plats, ronds, l\u00e9gers & tranchants,
\nLes plus beaux ricochets du monde.
\nUn crocodile affreux arrive entre deux eaux,
\nS\u2019\u00e9lance tout-\u00e0-coup, happe l\u2019un des marmots,
\nQui crie & dispara\u00eet dans sa gueule profonde,
\nL\u2019autre fuit, en pleurant son pauvre compagnon.
\nUn honn\u00eate & digne esturgeon,
\nT\u00e9moin de cette trag\u00e9die,
\nS\u2019\u00e9loigne avec horreur, se cache au fond des flots ;
\nMais bient\u00f4t il entend le coupable amphibie
\nG\u00e9mir & pousser des sanglots :
\nLe monstre a des remords, dit-il : \u00f4 providence,
\nTu venges souvent l\u2019innocence ;
\nPourquoi ne la sauves-tu pas ?
\nCe sc\u00e9l\u00e9rat du moins pleure ses attentats ;
\nL\u2019instant est propice, je pense,
\nPour lui pr\u00eacher la p\u00e9nitence :
\nJe m\u2019en vais lui parler. Plein de compassion,
\nNotre saint homme d\u2019esturgeon
\nVers le crocodile s\u2019avance :
\nPleurez, lui cria-t-il, pleurez votre forfait ;
\nLivrez votre \u00e2me impitoyable
\nAu remords, qui des dieux est le dernier bienfoit,
\nLe seul m\u00e9diateur entre eux & le coupable.
\nMalheureux, manger un enfant !
\nMon c\u0153ur en a fr\u00e9mi ; j\u2019entends g\u00e9mir le v\u00f4tre\u2026
\nOui, r\u00e9pond l\u2019assassin, je pleure en ce moment
\nDe regret d\u2019avoir manqu\u00e9 l\u2019autre.
\nTel est le remords du m\u00e9chant.<\/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-12468","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-568","poems-book-fables-de-florian","poete-jean-pierre-claris-de-florian"],"yoast_head":"\n