
audiobook
FABLES OF JOHN GAY (SOMEWHAT ALTERED). AFFECTIONATELY PRESENTED TO MARGARET ROSE, BY HER UNCLE JOHN BENSON ROSE.
DEDICATION.
The Flower and the Leaf.
Romaunt of the Rose.
Chaucer to his Booke.
POSTSCRIPT.
LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STANFORD STREET, AND CHARING CROSS.
A charmingly intimate collection invites listeners into a world where classic fables are gently reshaped with wit and lyrical flair. Presented as a private dedication, the verses unfold like whispered confidences, blending the ornate language of early poets with a modern, lightly satirical touch. The narrator’s playful voice guides the audience through a garden of allegory, where each tale feels both familiar and newly bright.
Among the pieces, a sprightly “Flower and the Leaf” summons fairies, knights, and a regal queen who chant a refrain that lingers like a song. A “Romaunt of the Rose” follows, weaving a dreamy spring romance with vivid images of birds, blossoms, and heroic quests. The poems balance moral insight with lighthearted charm, making the collection a delightful listening experience for anyone who loves poetry that dances between the timeless and the whimsically altered.
Language
en
Duration
~38 minutes (36K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Sarah Gutierrez, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was made using scans of public domain works in the International Children's Digital Library.)
Release date
Aug 6, 2008
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Best known for bringing Greek and Latin classics to English readers, this 19th-century writer and translator worked across epic poetry, drama, and fable. His books include versions of Homer, Virgil, Terence, and Aesop, showing a strong taste for making old stories readable for new audiences.
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1685–1732
Best known for creating The Beggar’s Opera, this English poet and dramatist mixed sharp satire with an easy, playful style. His work helped shape eighteenth-century literary life and stayed popular long after his death.
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