
A gentle, lyrical meditation opens the story, inviting listeners into a world where prayer and everyday wonder intertwine. A child's simple yet heartfelt petition to a loving God sets a tone of quiet reverence, while the soft cadence of nighttime lullabies hints at a deep bond between the divine and the innocent.
From there, the narrative follows a small schoolboy burdened by a heavy book, his steps slowed by curiosity and a yearning to understand. He converses with a busy bee and a wandering swallow, each encounter sparkling with nature’s wisdom and playful riddles. A steadfast dog named Stentor appears, offering stern yet compassionate counsel about work, learning, and the value of perseverance.
Through poetic dialogues and vivid images of fields, flowers, and humming insects, the tale celebrates the resilience of a child discovering the joys and challenges of education. Listeners will be drawn into a tender exploration of faith, curiosity, and the gentle guidance that shapes a young heart.
Language
fr
Duration
~2 hours (123K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Suzanne Shell, Renald Levesque and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica)
Release date
2004-12-04
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1786–1859
A major voice in 19th-century French poetry, this writer brought unusual emotional directness and musicality to themes of love, grief, and motherhood. She also worked on the stage as an actress before her poems and prose won lasting admiration.
View all books