From the book
The Gods Are Athirst
Anatole France · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Meaning
Related words and phrases.
Brotteaux invokes a fable in which frogs receive a devouring ruler to warn against the poets’ worship of military leaders. Grue means crane, the bird named by his speech; the edition identifies the La Fontaine fable. The coming conqueror is not named. A reader may infer an anticipation of later dictatorship, but should label that inference rather than turn it into an explicit identification by Brotteaux.
Places to read
- Chapter XIX, paragraph 29Frenchla grue de la fable avale les grenouilles: the crane of the fable swallows the frogs. A warning that the military figure deified by citizens may consume them.