La Cigale et la Fourmi. — The Grasshopper and the Ant

21 la bise, north-east wimi ; -a^tà figuratively for — winter 24 crier famine, to complain of hunger

37 ne vous déplaise, with all due deference to you 30 avant l'août (pronounce ou), before harvest time

Page 83.

CO.— La Cigale, la Fourmi et la Colombe.— 77/^ Crasshoppct, the Ant, and the Dove.

16 à tire-d'aile, swift as an arrow ; at full speed 18 force grains, plenty of grain

51.— Le Laboureur et ses Y^^vk^ts,. — The Husbandman and his Children.

26 c'est le fonds qui manque le moins, that is a never failing

resource

28 faire venir, to send for

29 se garder de, to take cart not to

30 venir à bout de, to succeed in, to bring about

34 août. Comp. p. 49, 1. 30

35 ne laissez... repasse, leave no spot unturned

Page 84.

1 le père mort, when the father was dead; a Participle Absolute.

See III. §95, Obs. 3.

vous retournent le cbamp. This vous is an instance of what is generally called the "ethic dative"

2 deçà, delà, this side, that side

3 en, on that account

52. — La Laitière et le Pot au Lait. — The Dairy-Woman and the Milkpot.

7 pot au lait, or pot à lait, milkpot ; "un pot de lait," a pot of milk. See also II. § 14, d, Obs.

10 prétendre, to pretend ; here — to mean

1 1 légère et court vêtue, nimble and short-coated à grand pas, with long strides

17 œufs. The f is silent in the PL, as in bœufs.

faisait triple couvée, had {in her mind) a triple brood 25 de l'argent bel et bon, a good round sum

27 vu, seeing, considering

28 que je ferai sauter, that / shall see skipping