Tag: French

87 – Cendrillon

Charles Perrault’s version of Cinderella is the most famous one worldwide, and that’s because it was the first to be widely printed, first in French and then in English. It’s also a story that is strikingly modern, from its use of the pumpkin, a new world plant, to its Enlightenment values celebrating Cinderella’s personal virtues even more highly than her beauty.

This story was first published as “Cendrillon, ou la petite pantoufle de verre”, which translates to Cinderella, or the little glass slipper. It was part of a collection called Histoires ou contes du temps passé, avec des moralités ou Contes de ma mère l’Oye. That rather wordy title translates to Stories or Tales from Past Times, with Morals or Mother Goose Tales.

Charles Perrault was an Enlightenment man through and through, from his use of explicit morals, emphasis on good character, and very enlightened position on forgiveness toward those who have behaved very badly.

Activity: The Journey of the Pumpkin

Have students research the history of the pumpkin. They should be able to answer the following questions after their studies:

  • What is the original native range of the pumpkin? On what continent was it located, and in which areas?
  • How did Native Americans make use of the pumpkin? What was the role of pumpkin and other forms of squash in a Three Sisters garden?
  • When and how did Europeans first encounter the pumpkin?
  • About when did pumpkins first arrive in Europe?
  • About how many years had passed since the arrival of the pumpkin to Europe when Charles Perrault wrote “Cendrillon?”
  • If a Cinderella story were written today, what kind of new, trendy plant could be used to be magically transformed to transport Cinderella? What kind of vehicle would it turn into?

Activity: Cendrillon’s Forgiveness

After reading “Cendrillon” by Charles Perrault, have students consider Cendrillon’s act of forgiveness toward her two wicked stepsisters. She not only forgives them but helps them to very advantageous marriages with royal courtiers. In a group discussion or as a written essay, have students reflect on the following questions:

  • Why do you think Cendrillon forgave her stepsisters?
  • Would you have treated the stepsisters in the same way? If not, how do you think the stepsisters should have been treated?
  • What advantages are there for Cendrillon to keep her stepsisters close to her at court?
  • How do you think the common people in Cendrillon’s kingdom would have viewed her actions?
  • As a princess, what kind of an example has Cendrillon set for others to follow?

29 – A French Lesson with The Fables of La Fontaine

Generations of French children have grown up reading and memorizing the Fables of Jean de La Fontaine, and these stories have had a huge impact on the French language.

You can’t really be fluent in any language unless you know certain stories, songs, and figures of speech, most of which are learned in childhood. Native speakers of French are almost automatically familiar with the Fables of Jean de La Fontaine, who collected and retold 239 fables in twelve books. Each story contains pithy phrases and morals that show up repeatedly in common speech, news articles, political cartoons, and even scientific papers.

This episode takes a look at one of La Fontaine’s Fables — Les Animaux Malades de la Peste, or Animals Sick with the Plague. Originally written by Aesop, this is a deeply political tale that is sadly still relevant today with its moral warning that it is easy for the powerful to escape justice, instead heaping blame upon a weaker — and innocent — scapegoat.

Activity: The Moral of the Story . . .

Have students read one of the Fables of La Fontaine. If you or your kids are able to read French, the original versions can be found here:

www.la-fontaine-ch-thierry.net/fables.htm

A selection of the Fables translated into English can be found here:

en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Original_Fables_of_La_Fontaine

After reading a fable, have students fill out this printable worksheet, which has spaces for the following:

      • Name of the fable
      • Origin of the fable (Aesop? Horace? A French folktale?)
      • Most interesting sentence in the fable
      • What is the moral of this story?
      • How can you use this moral to improve your life?

Students can then share their findings with one another.

Activity: Translating Important French Phrases from the Fables

This activity is appropriate for kids who are learning the French language and have enough ability to engage in short translations. Below is a list of some commonly quoted phrases from the Fables de La Fontaine. Alone, in pairs, or in small groups as appropriate, have students translate one or more of the phrases into their native language. Then, ask the students to try to figure out what the moral means. It may be necessary to read the fable from which the quote is derived in order to get good context. Students should then share their findings with one another.

Title of Fable – Book, Number Quotation
La Cigale et la Fourmi – I, 1 Eh bien ! Dansez maintenant.
Le Corbeau et le Renard – I, 2 Apprenez que tout flatteur, vit aux dépens de celui qui l’écoute.
Le Loup et l’Agneau – I, 10 La raison du plus fort est toujours la meilleure
Les Frelons et les Mouches à miel – I, 21 À l’œuvre on connaît l’artisan.
Le Lion et le Rat – II, 11 On a souvent besoin d’un plus petit que soi.
Le Renard et le Bouc – III, 5 En toute chose il faut considérer la fin.
Le Petit Poisson et le Pêcheur – V, 3 Petit poisson deviendra grand, pourvu que Dieu lui prête vie.
Le Petit Poisson et le Pêcheur – V, 3 Un Tiens vaut, ce dit-on, mieux que deux Tu l’auras.
Le Lièvre et la Tortue – VI, 10 Rien ne sert de courir; il faut partir à point.
Le Chartier embourbé – VI, 18 Aide-toi, le Ciel t’aidera.
Le Lion amoureux – IV, 1 Amour, Amour, quand tu nous tiens, on peut bien dire: Adieu prudence.
L’Ours et les Deux Compagnons – V, 20 Il m’a dit qu’il ne faut jamais, vendre la peau de l’ours qu’on ne l’ait mis par terre.
Les Animaux Malades de la Peste – VII, 1 Ils ne mouraient pas tous, mais tous étaient frappés.
Les Animaux Malades de la Peste – VII, 1 Crier Haro sur le baudet.
Les Animaux Malades de la Peste – VII, 1 Selon que vous serez puissant ou misérable, les jugements de cour vous rendront blanc ou noir.
Les Lapins – X, 15 Mais les ouvrages les plus courts sont toujours les meilleurs.
Le Milan et le Rossignol – IX, 18 Ventre affamé n’a point d’oreilles.