French the natural way - Le corbeau et le renard de Jean de la Fontaine

[@kevinjones2145]

Merci, Alice!

[@gerrywass]

Following up on my previous comment, I actually have good memories of this poem. It has been way too long ago for clarity, but I must have loved the challenge and the sound, the music within this and perhaps the moral. I can now imagine learning it by heart again, and so coming full circle to have it reappear in my life has been a great joy. Merci mille fois, Alice !

[@aliceayel]

Gerry, when I learned the poem at school, I didn't understand it all. The word" ramage" for example was not clear to me but I loved the sound of it. That is why I believe you don't need to understand absolutely each word in a story, maybe the precise meaning will come later. Like little children, they don't understand everything we tell them, little by little they get it. I am so happy this poem reappeared in your life :-)

[@gerrywass]

The translation I found had 'ramage' as 'voice,' which seemed odd somehow, so I just now went back to look it up by itself and found 'song' as the translation. Somehow that seems to fit better. It is hard for me to not follow every word to its origin or to discuss the shades of meaning and usage--it is all so interesting!

[@aliceayel]

Yes, right. " Ramage " is the voice as singing voice, as if you can sing well and have a beautiful voice. Now, I am like you, I like to look for the meaning of a word and where the word comes from :-)

[@nancyjanepeirce4562]

If I ever become semi-skilled at French it will be because of you...

[@aliceayel]

Merci beaucoup Nancy Jane !

[@nancyjanepeirce4562]

moi aussi !