La Grenouille et le Rat / The Frog and the Rat

1989
oil on canvas
81 x 100 cm
signed and dated 'W Aractingii nov 89' (on the reverse)

NOT FOR SALE
Provenance

The Artist's Estate

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Location

Beirut, Lebanon

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About this artwork

La Grenouille et le Rat

TEl, comme dit Merlin, cuide engeigner autruy,
Qui ſouvent s’engeigne ſoy-meſme.
J’ay regret que ce mot ſoit trop vieux aujourd’huy,
Il m’a toujours ſemblé d’une énergie extrême.
Mais afin d’en venir au deſſein que j’ay pris :
Un Rat plein d’en-bon-point, gras, & des mieux nourris,
Et qui ne connoiſſoit l’Avent ni le Carême,
Sur le bord d’un marais égayoit ſes eſprits.
Une Grenoüille approche, & luy dit en ſa langue :
Venez me voir chez moy, je vous feray feſtin.
Meſſire Rat promit ſoudain :
Il n’eſtoit pas beſoin de plus longue harangue.
Elle allegua pourtant les delices du bain,
La curioſité, le plaiſir du voyage,
Cent raretez à voir le long du marécage :
Un jour il conteroit à ſes petits enfans
Les beautez de ces lieux, les mœurs des habitans,
Et le gouvernement de la choſe publique
Aquatique.
Un point ſans plus tenoit le galand empeſché.
Il nageoit quelque peu ; mais il faloit de l’aide.
La Grenoüille à cela trouve un tres-bon remede.
Le Rat fut à ſon pied par la pate attaché.
Un brin de jonc en fit l’affaire.
Dans le marais entrez, noſtre bonne commere
S’efforce de tirer ſon hoſte au fond de l’eau,
Contre le droit des gens, contre la foy jurée,
Pretend qu’elle en fera gorge chaude & curée ;
(C’eſtoit, à ſon avis, un excellent morceau.)
Déja dans ſon eſprit la galande le croque.
Il atteſte les Dieux ; la perfide s’en moque.
Il reſiſte ; elle tire. En ce combat nouveau.
Un Milan qui dans l’air planoit, faiſoit la ronde,
Voit d’enhaut le pauvret ſe debattant ſur l’onde.
Il fond deſſus, l’enleve, & par meſme moyen
La Grenoüille & le lien.
Tout en fut ; tant & ſi bien
Que de cette double proye
L’Oiſeau ſe donne au cœur joye ;
Ayant de cette façon,
A ſouper chair & poiſſon.

La ruſe la mieux ourdie
Peut nuire à ſon inventeur :
Et ſouvent la perfidie
Retourne ſur ſon autheur.

The Frog and the Rat

Merlin said well, that those who often cheat
Will sometimes cheat themselves—the phrase is old.
I′m sorry that it is, I must repeat
It′s full of energy, and sound as gold.
But to my story: once a well-fed Rat,
Rotund and wealthy, plump and fat,
Not knowing either Fast or Lent,
Lounging beside a marsh pool went.
A Frog addressed him in the Frog′s own tongue,
And asked him home to dinner civilly.
No need to make the invitation long.
He spoke, however, of the things he′d see:
The pleasant bath, worth curiosity;
The novelties along the marsh′s shore,
The score and score
Of spots of beauty, manners of the races,
The government of various places,
Some day he would recount with glee
Unto his youthful progeny;
One thing alone the gallant vexed,
And his adventurous soul perplexed;
He swam but little, and he needed aid.
The friendly Frog was undismayed;
His paw to hers she strongly tied,
And then they started side by side.
The hostess towed her frightened guest
Quick to the bottom of the lake—
Perfidious breach of law of nations—
All promises she faithless breaks,
And sinks her friend to make fresh rations.
Already did her appetite
Dwell on the morsel with delight,
Lunch,
Scrunch!
He prays the gods; she mocks his woe;
He struggles up; she pulls below.
And while this combat is fought out,
A Kite that′s seeking all about
Sees the poor Rat that′s like to drown;
And pounces swift as lightning down.
The Frog tied to him, by the way,
Also became the glad Kite′s prey;
They gave him all that he could wish,
A supper both of meat and fish.

So oftentimes a base deceit
Falls back upon the father cheat;
So oftentimes doth perfidy
Return with triple usury.

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