Some strange compulsion pulled me to the library today. I walked uptown just to see the types of available materials for learning Spanish. I am not really sure what prompted this sudden interest. I think it goes beyond the fact we're flying into Malaga in three, short weeks. It is not due to my investigation of places to spend retirement winters down south either.
My interest could be because I've heard that trying to learn a new language late in life is an excellent means of brain exercise. (I have never been much of a crossword puzzle fan, you see.) Knowing a little Spanish might be helpful too, although as Canadian I guess I should have an interest in French instead. Sorry, Miss Davis, I'm not sure how much of my seventh grade French poem is still intact.
Le Corbeau et le Renard
Jean de la Fontaine
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:
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 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:
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.
Anyway, even if I were to learn and use just a few dozen words and phrases, then my newly acquired Spanish, would be better than my French.