Abstract
M.A.
La Fontaine is universally known for his revival of the classic Latin, Indian and Greek fables. He originally translated and reworked the fables from Latin prose to French poetry (1668). The target audience was the courtiers of Louis XIV’s court, the King and the literary society of the day. Despite the charm of the animal characters, the lively illustrations and the obvious didactic value of his fables, he did not have a juvenile audience in mind. These fables were intended to make social and political comment, to criticize, to warn and to transmit his own brand of humour, philosophy and rhetoric. The modern day translator is faced with a multitude of problems when attempting to translate these 17th century poems. Some of the difficulties stem from historical and moral conventions to which La Fontaine adhered. The idiosyncratic intervention of the poet in his fables, is another issue that needs to be reflected upon. The very first translation into English, in 1729, was done in prose format, destined for the children’s market. This pattern was followed wherever the fables were translated: the target audience of the original fables changed within a few decades from an elite, adult circle to a juvenile audience. Since the late 19th century, when Afrikaans began emerging as a formal language, these fables were also translated as prose. The first poetry collection, by E.P. du Plessis, appeared in 1970. The 16 poetry translations beg for more of the same. The need for children’s poetry in Afrikaans will thus be catered for. Moreover, La Fontaine’s poems with their universal appeal and well-known characters, should become an integral part of prescribed school literature. The format and content of the fabled poem is the ideal vehicle for the creation of satire. But for satire to succeed, the target reader should know the original text. La Fontaine’s fables have the possibility to extend the genre of satire in prose, poetry and drama in South Africa. An appeal is thus made to translators and poets to translate more of La Fontaine’s poetry into Afrikaans. An appeal is also directed at the Education Departments to reconsider the fable, with La Fontaine’s version in mind, as compulsory literary study. The ancient mythology, from which Aesop and La Fontaine richly drew inspiration, is another genre that should be better known by the general public. The school syllabi would have to be revised in order to accommodate these two genres, which would not only enrich the literature background of the learners, but would also serve to enhance their moral education in a non-judgmental way: ideally suited for the multi-cultural classroom. The study is concluded with a selection of translations, using different translating styles to suit different target audiences.