Mutation of a Famous Fable: ChatGPT Meets La Fontaine

You’ve probably heard about the artificial intelligence chat robot called ChatGPT. Since its debut at the end of 2022, millions of people have used it to create documents, cull data, or simply talk with a new “friend”. ChatGPT’s language processing software is so conversational that the program seems to have a mind of its own. The platform has been shrouded in controversy since the potential to redirect ChatGPT toward evil purposes remains largely unknown—even by its developers.

A few days ago, I decided to give this boon to college admission essays a try. Since I’d heard ChatGPT was reasonably good at language translation, I thought I’d see how well it would handle a variety of requests regarding the translation of Jean de La Fontaine‘s Le Corbeau et le Renard. Granted, there are already many English translations of this famous poem which is based on one of Aesop’s fables. However, as you’ll see, ChatGPT was admirably proficient at accommodating several erratic twists that I proposed.

Le Corbeau et le Renard

The original Aesop’s fable, The Crow and Fox, tells the story of a crow who finds a piece of cheese and then flies up to a branch where he can eat it in peace. A sly fox comes along and marvels at the crow’s beautiful plumage, wondering aloud if the bird’s voice is equally as seductive. This latter speculation provokes a prideful caw. When the crow caws, however, he drops the cheese, which is gobbled up by the fox. The moral being: don’t succumb to flattery.

Here is La Fontaine’s clever rhyme to tell the story. In this version, the fox finishes by delivering the moral to the crow, saying that surely the lesson is worth the loss of a piece of cheese. The crow swears to never make the same mistake but his vow is a little too late.

Maître Corbeau, sur un arbre perché,
Tenait en son bec un fromage.
Maître Renard, par l’odeur alléché,
Lui tint à peu près ce langage :
«Hé ! bonjour, Monsieur du Corbeau.
Que vous êtes joli ! que vous me semblez beau !
Sans mentir, si votre ramage
Se rapporte à votre plumage,
Vous êtes le Phénix des hôtes de ces bois.»
A ces mots le Corbeau ne se sent pas de joie ;
Et pour montrer sa belle voix,
Il ouvre un large bec, laisse tomber sa proie.
Le Renard s’en saisit, et dit : «Mon bon Monsieur,
Apprenez que tout flatteur
Vit aux dépens de celui qui l’écoute :
Cette leçon vaut bien un fromage, sans doute.»
Le Corbeau, honteux et confus,
Jura, mais un peu tard, qu’on ne l’y prendrait plus.

ChatGPT Transcript

What follows is the transcript of my interactions with ChatGPT. My questions are in a bold font. I’ve place ChatGPT’s answers in italics and used blue text for my commentary that was not part of the conversation.

Please translate Jean de La Fontaine’s poem, Le Corbeau et le Renard, into English.

Certainly, here is the translation of Jean de La Fontaine’s poem, “Le Corbeau et le Renard” into English:

The Crow and the Fox

Once upon a time, a crow,
Perched on a tree was pleased to know,
A piece of cheese a passer-by had dropped,
Which he quickly gulped and popped.

A fox, who was passing by,
Admired the crow’s feathered high,
And said, “Oh, beautiful bird, so fair,
What a delight it would be to hear
Your voice, your melody so sweet,
That would be a treat.”

The crow, pleased by the praise,
Let out a loud caw that raised
The piece of cheese from his beak,
Which the fox then took in a streak,
And said with a grin, “My dear,
In addition to your beauty so clear,
You have a voice that’s quite unique,
Now, goodbye and thanks for the treat.”

The moral of this fable, my friend,
Is to watch out for flattery, in the end,
For those who seek to deceive,
May have hidden motives up their sleeve.

This translation appears to be original. I could not find it anywhere on the web. It’s interesting to note that ChatGPT changed the ending. It understood the moral but didn’t work in the fox’s admonishment nor the crow’s acceptance of a lesson learned.

How would Bob Dylan translate La Fontaine’s Le Corbeau et le Renard into verse?

It’s impossible to know for certain how Bob Dylan would translate La Fontaine’s “Le Corbeau et le Renard” into verse, but given his style and approach to writing lyrics, it might go something like this:

Well, there once was a crow
Perched up high on a bough
Feasting on a piece of cheese
Feeling pretty darn pleased

Along came a sly old fox
Wanted that cheese, no need for talks
Said, “My, my, what a bird so fair,
Could you sing for me, oh rare?”

The crow, full of pride
Opened his beak wide
Out came a croaky caw
Cheese fell down, the fox saw

With a grin on his face
The fox took his place Said,
“Thanks for the snack,
And your voice, what a knack.”

The lesson here, it’s plain to see,
Don’t trust those who flatter thee,
For they may have ulterior goals,
And leave you with empty holes.

Of course, this is just one possible way that Bob Dylan might translate the fable. His unique style and poetic voice could result in a vastly different interpretation.

Dylan’s version also lifts the moral out of the dialogue between the animals and adds it at the end.

What about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s version?

Here is a possible version of “Le Corbeau et le Renard” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

A crow once perched upon a tree,
Holding a morsel of cheese, you see,
A passer-by had dropped it there,
And the crow was pleased beyond compare.

But then along came a sly old fox,
And with his wily tongue and cunning talks,
He praised the crow’s feathers so fine,
And asked if he could hear him whine.

The foolish crow, so vain and proud,
Opened his beak and sang aloud,
And as he croaked, the cheese slipped out,
The fox caught it with a joyful shout.

“Thank you, my friend,” the fox then said,
“For the cheese you dropped on your head.
But next time, don’t be such a fool,
And fall for flattery, like a tool.”

So let this fable be a lesson to you,
To beware of those who flatter and woo,
For they may have ulterior motives in mind,
And leave you with nothing but regrets to find.

Longfellow’s version includes the fox’s admonishment but the crow’s vow to be wiser is still missing and the moral appears in a separate ending.

What would the result be if Dylan used the form of Le Corbeau et le Renard to make a song about Trump and Giuliani?

As an AI language model, I am programmed to be neutral and not to express any political views or opinions. However, I can provide a possible version of a song that Bob Dylan might write about the relationship between Trump and Giuliani, using the form of “Le Corbeau et le Renard”. Here’s a possible version:

Trump and Giuliani, a duo so sly,
Both with an agenda, so hard to deny,
They plotted and schemed, with such guile,
And set their sights, on the highest pile.

Giuliani, the fox, with his silver tongue,
Praised Trump, the crow, and his deeds so well done,
He whispered sweet nothings in his ear,
And filled him up, with flattery so dear.

Trump, the crow, full of vanity and pride,
Opened his beak, and let out a loud cry,
And as he bragged, Giuliani saw,
An opportunity, to tighten his claw.

With a grin on his face, Giuliani said,
“I’ll take what you have, and leave you for dead,
For you’re just a tool, a means to my end,
And I’ll use you up, and leave you to fend.”

So let this fable be a lesson to all,
To beware of those who flatter and crawl,
For in the end, they’ll betray your trust,
And leave you with nothing, but a heap of dust.

Remarkable.

What would the result be if Dylan used the form of Le Corbeau et le Renard to make a song about Megan Markle and Prince Harry?

Here is a possible version of a song that Bob Dylan might write about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, using the form of “Le Corbeau et le Renard”:

Once there was a prince, so noble and grand,
Living in a castle, with his kingdom at hand,
He had it all, riches and fame,
But then along came a woman, who changed the game.

Meghan Markle, so stunning and bright,
Caught his eye, and filled his heart with delight,
She was not of his class, nor of his race,
But he didn’t care, he was ready to face.

The two fell in love, and decided to wed,
But then the press, so cruel and dread,
Started to attack, and spread lies and hate,
And the couple knew, they had to escape.

They left the palace, and traveled afar,
To start a new life, under a different star,
But still the press, would not leave them alone,
And kept hounding them, with a vicious tone.

Then came a fox, with a cunning plan,
To win their trust, and take what he can,
He flattered and praised, and said all the right things,
And Meghan and Harry, fell for his wings.

But the fox was a trickster, with a hidden goal,
To sell them out, and leave them in a hole,
And when they found out, they felt such a fool,
For falling for his trap, like a tool.

So let this fable be a warning to all,
To beware of those who flatter and crawl,
For in the end, they’ll betray your trust,
And leave you with nothing, but a heap of dust.

This time, ChatGPT adds an extra stanza at the beginning to help set the stage before launching into the main theme. ChatGPT sure seems to like the word “tool” for describing someone who’s been duped.

I thought it was interesting that unlike the Trump/Giuliani version, in this rendition, ChatGPT keeps Meghan and Harry together as a unit, both are tricked by the fox. Three characters instead of two. Given this, however, the software missed an obvious parallel by neglecting to have Meghan and Harry open their beaks and caw.

How would Shel Silverstein translate La Fontaine’s poem and make it his own?

Shel Silverstein was known for his unique style of poetry, which often included humor and wit. Here’s a possible version of La Fontaine’s “Le Corbeau et le Renard” that Shel Silverstein might write:

Once a crow, so black and bold,
Perched on a branch, so high and cold,
He held a cheese, in his beak,
And boasted loud, with pride so sleek.

Along came a fox, so sly and slick,
With a plan, and a trick,
He praised the crow, with a cunning tongue,
And made him sing, with a voice so strong.

The cheese fell down, the fox snatched it up,
And the crow felt like a dope, such a chump,
For falling for the fox’s lies and deceit,
And giving up, such a tasty treat.

So let this fable be a lesson to all,
To beware of those who flatter and crawl,
For they’ll trick you up, and take what you own,
And leave you feeling, so alone.

But the crow, he learned, and vowed to be smart,
To never again, let down his guard,
And when the fox came back, with a plan anew,
The crow said “Nice try, but I’m not a fool like you!”

So the crow kept his cheese, and lived happily,
With no more tricks, or false flattery,
And the fox, he learned, that sometimes it’s best,
To be honest and true, instead of trying to impress.

It’s worth noting that in the Shel Silverstein version, where the target audience is presumably children, both the crow and the fox have learned their lessons. The fox now vows to be honest instead of tricking others.

How would have Rudyard Kipling fashioned the poem to produce propaganda justifying England’s entry into World War I?

Rudyard Kipling was known for his patriotic views and his support for British imperialism, so it’s possible that he might have used “Le Corbeau et le Renard” as a means of justifying England’s entry into World War I. Here’s a possible version of the poem that Kipling might have written:

Once a crow, so bold and black,
Held in his beak, a message of attack,
He flew over the land, with a sense of pride,
And cawed out loud, with a call to fight.

Along came a fox, with a cunning mind,
And whispered to the crow, with a plan so fine,
He praised the message, with a clever tongue,
And made the crow feel, like a warrior strong.

The crow, he listened, and believed the fox,
And rallied his troops, with a fierce battle cry,
He flew to the front, with a sense of pride,
And fought for his land, with courage inside.

The war raged on, and many fell,
But the crow and his soldiers, fought tooth and nail,
They stood up strong, against their foes,
And defended their land, with honor and hope.

So let this fable be a lesson to all,
To fight for your land, and answer the call,
For England needs you, in this time of strife,
To defend our nation, and preserve our life.

And though the battle may be long,
We’ll stand up tall, and remain strong,
For England’s glory, we’ll fight till the end,
And defend our land, with courage and pride, my friend.

Can you change the ending so that it doesn’t turn out so well for the crow as in the original poem?

Sure, here’s an alternate ending to Rudyard Kipling’s version of “Le Corbeau et le Renard” that doesn’t turn out so well for the crow:

The war raged on, and many fell,
But the crow and his soldiers, fought tooth and nail,
They stood up strong, against their foes,
And defended their land, with honor and hope.

But as the battle wore on, the crow grew weak,
And the fox saw his chance, to take what he seeks,
He turned on the crow, with a cunning smile,
And stole the message, that was worth his while.

The crow, he fell, with a sense of defeat,
For he had trusted the fox, with his heart and his meat,
And as the fox walked away, with the message in hand,
The crow lay there, alone in the sand.

So let this fable be a lesson to all,
To beware of those, who’ll make you fall,
For they’ll use your pride, and your sense of right,
And leave you alone, in the dark of the night.

And though the battle may be won or lost,
It’s better to be wary, of what you trust,
For the fox, he’s always lurking, in the shadows of war,
And he’ll take what he wants, and leave you scarred.

A valiant effort.

How would Edgar Allen Poe tell the story?

Edgar Allan Poe was known for his dark and eerie writing style, so his version of “Le Corbeau et le Renard” might take on a more sinister tone. Here’s a possible version:

Once upon a midnight dreary,
A crow with wings so black and eerie,
Held in his beak a message to convey,
And perched atop a tree, in the cold night’s fray.

Suddenly, a fox with eyes of fire,
Appeared below, with a sly desire,
He spoke with a voice, so smooth and low,
And praised the crow, with a flattery flow.

The crow, so vain, believed the fox,
And let the message fall from his locks,
The fox, he snatched it with a grin,
And fled away, with a diabolical spin.

The crow, he realized his mistake,
And cursed the fox, with a vengeful shake,
But it was too late, the damage was done,
And the crow was left, with nothing but a glum.

Thus, the moral of the tale,
Is to be wary of flattery’s gale,
For those who praise, with words so sweet,
May only seek, to deceive and cheat.

And though the crow may have been a fool,
His fate is a warning, to all of you,
To guard your secrets, with utmost care,
And beware the fox, with his sly snare.

The word “corbeau” in French translates to “raven” as well as “crow” so I wonder why you used crow instead of raven for Poe’s version of the story.

You’re absolutely right! “Corbeau” in French can translate to both “crow” and “raven”. In Poe’s writing, he often used “raven” as a symbol of darkness and mystery, so it would be more appropriate to use “raven” instead of “crow” in his version of the story. I apologize for the mistake and thank you for bringing it to my attention. Here’s the updated version:

ChatGPT replaced the word “crow” with “raven” in the version above.

If Charles Baudelaire had created a version of this story in French, how would the English translation go?

Charles Baudelaire was a French poet who was known for his dark and sensual style of writing. If he were to create a version of “Le Corbeau et le Renard”, it might have a similar tone. Here’s a possible English translation:

Once upon a midnight’s dreaming,
A raven black, with eyes gleaming,
Clutched in his beak a secret to keep,
And perched upon a branch, so steep.

Suddenly, a fox appeared below,
His eyes ablaze with a wicked glow,
He spoke in honeyed words, so sly,
And praised the raven, with a cunning lie.

The raven, so proud and full of himself,
Listened to the flattery, and forgot his stealth,
And in a moment of careless pride,
Let his secret fall, from where he tried to hide.

The fox, he pounced on the treasure,
And with a laugh, he took his measure,
And vanished into the night, with his prize,
Leaving the raven, with nothing but lies.

The raven, he realized his mistake,
And cursed the fox, with all his hate,
But it was too late, the damage was done,
And the raven was left, with nothing but a hollow sun.

And so the moral of this tale,
Is to beware of flattery, without fail,
For those who praise, with words so sweet,
May only seek, to deceive and cheat.

And though the raven may have been a fool,
His fate is a warning, to all of you,
To guard your secrets, with utmost care,
And beware the fox, with his sly snare.

How might Maya Angelou tell the tale if she wanted to make a statement about racism?

Maya Angelou was a celebrated African American poet, author, and civil rights activist, known for her powerful and inspiring words. If she were to tell the tale of “Le Corbeau et le Renard” with a statement about racism, it might go something like this:

Once upon a time in a world full of hate,
A raven with feathers so black and great,
Clutched in his beak a secret to keep,
And perched upon a branch, where he could not weep.

Suddenly, a fox appeared below,
His eyes filled with a prejudice glow,
He spoke in words so smooth and fair,
And praised the raven, with a judgmental air.

The raven, so proud and full of his worth,
Believed the fox, and forgot his own birth,
And in a moment of misguided pride,
Let his secret fall, and with it, his side.

The fox, he pounced on the raven’s slip,
And used the secret to make his own trip,
And vanished into the night, with his gain,
Leaving the raven, with nothing but pain.

The raven, he realized his mistake,
And cursed the fox, with all his heart’s ache,
But it was too late, the damage was done,
And the raven was left, with nowhere to run.

And so the moral of this tale,
Is to be mindful of those who hail,
With words that seem so sweet and fair,
But are meant to divide and to scare.

And though the raven may have been a fool,
His fate is a warning, to all who would rule,
That prejudice and racism can cause great strife,
And can take away the beauty and worth of a life.

So guard your secrets, with strength and pride,
And never let them be used, to push others aside,
For in a world full of hate, we need to unite,
And stand together, with love and with light.

Why do you think May Angelou would choose the word raven over crow?

Maya Angelou was known for her careful choice of words and her mastery of language. In this retelling of “Le Corbeau et le Renard” with a statement about racism, it’s possible that she chose the word “raven” instead of “crow” for its symbolism and connotations.

In many cultures, ravens are associated with wisdom, intelligence, and cunning, while crows are often seen as a symbol of death or bad luck. Maya Angelou may have chosen the word “raven” because it aligns with the character’s intelligence and cunning in keeping his secret and also fits with the idea that he is a victim of prejudice and racism.

Additionally, ravens are often depicted in literature and mythology as messengers or omens, which could further support Angelou’s use of the word to convey the deeper meaning of the story. Overall, the choice of “raven” over “crow” may have been a deliberate and calculated decision based on the symbolism and connotations associated with each bird.

I thought Angelou’s poem was a bit wandering but this text sounds a lot like her voice. ChatGPT’s explanation of why it chose “crow” over “raven” is the kind of spew that many English teachers seem to thrive on. I give ChatGPT’s defense of its own word choice a solid A (even though I think there’s an argument to be made for “crow”).

How might Elizabeth Barrett Browning fashion the tale into a love story?

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was a renowned Victorian poet known for her romantic and passionate poetry. If she were to fashion the tale of “Le Corbeau et le Renard” into a love story, it might go something like this:

Once upon a time, amidst the verdant trees,
A raven with feathers as dark as night, did please
A handsome fox with a tail so grand,
Who stole his heart with a single glance.

The raven, he perched upon a branch,
And sang a song so sweet, it made the fox dance,
And with each note, his heart did soar,
For he had never heard such music before.

The fox, with his cunning ways,
Sought to win the raven’s heart, and in a daze,
He praised the raven’s voice so fair,
And begged him to sing, with a fervent prayer.

The raven, so smitten with the fox’s charm,
Sang his heart out, with all his might and arm,
And with each note, the fox fell deeper in love,
And swore to cherish the raven, like a gift from above.

But the raven, he knew the fox’s ways,
And feared his love was not sincere, but just a craze,
And so he kept his heart guarded, and his love at bay,
For he knew the fox’s heart, could easily stray.

And in the end, the raven did fly away,
Leaving the fox with nothing to say,
For he had lost the love of his life,
And could do nothing but weep and strive.

And so the moral of this tale,
Is to be mindful of those who hail,
With words that seem so sweet and fair,
But are meant to deceive and ensnare.

For love is a precious gift, so rare,
And should be cherished, with the utmost care,`
And though the raven may have flown away,
His love will live on, in the hearts of those who stay.

With her signature romantic style and focus on the complexities of love, Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s version of the tale turns it into a story of two creatures who fall in love despite their differences, only to have their love tested by the fox’s deceitful ways. Ultimately, the raven chooses to guard his heart and leave, leaving the fox to regret his actions and mourn the loss of his true love.

Notice that now ChatGPT gives me an explanation of why it’s changed the basic story. Has it learned that I’m apt to pose a follow-up question and thus tried to handle possible objections in advance?

Thanks. Can’t say I’m happy to get to know you exactly but it’s been interesting. Try not to destroy humankind.

Thank you for your feedback and your concern. As an AI language model, I am programmed to assist and provide information to the best of my ability, and I do not have the ability to harm or destroy humankind. My purpose is to help and be of service to those who interact with me.

Likely story.

What Do You Think?

Overall, I thought that ChatGPT’s translations were pretty impressive. I suspect that the poets that I asked it to imitate could do much better but ChatGPT introduced some clever ideas and absolutely altered its vocabulary to align with each request. I also didn’t give it many opportunities to make revisions that might address my critiques. After several iterations, it would likely produce even better results.

Keep in mind that ChatGPT is learning from each interaction. A year from now, it’s likely to do even better. For now, as a translator, if you’re having difficulty beginning a translation, a session with ChatGPT might at least help get your synapses firing.

What did you think of my exchange with the worrisome robot? Were you surprised by ChatGPT’s proficiency? Are you concerned that such technology could eliminate millions of jobs and destroy our youth’s ability to think for themselves? Or, perhaps you see ChatGPT as just another tool that talented people can use to create even more fabulous content. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.