One day, good father Colin went to the Château-d'Oex fair. He did good business there, especially in the inns. On his return, he stopped at the Hôtel de Jaman, in Montbovon, not for the pleasure of drinking, but out of politeness towards old childhood friends.
Our cheerful friends wanted to drown out the pleasure of having found each other in a few good drinks. The result was that midnight – the solemn hour – saw our Colin on the road to Lessoc.He was poorly received at the marital home. Fanchon listed twenty arguments to make him ashamed of his bad behavior. As a final consideration, she said to him: “You are only selfish, because you drink excessively and you let the mare die of thirst!” »
Only then did Colin understand the full extent of his fault. To repair it without delay, he went out, untied the casserole dish that was dreaming of the ingratitude of men in the stable, and took it to the pool.
The night was splendid, the moon was full. Either by trickery or by chance, Cocotte drank precisely from the place where her master admired the silver disc bathing in the clear liquid. “Hey,” he said to himself, laughing, “she drinks to the moon!” » Suddenly a cloud of opaque blackness enveloped the satellite of the earth up there and naturally the reflection in the pool immediately disappeared.
At the same moment, Cocotte raised her head, like someone satisfied with having swallowed a good sip or a good morsel. “O heaven! cried Colin in terror, the moon is no longer there, my mare has swallowed it. »
The peasant said nothing to his wife, but he stayed at the stable the rest of the night to watch over Cocotte. In the morning, he walked her along the village streets to activate digestion.
Soon all of Lessoc, upon waking up, was surprised to see Colin and Cocotte, Cocotte and Colin constantly passing back and forth along the same paths, one appearing frightened and the other bored by this morning exhibition.
– Is your mare sick, finally asked our man the worthy trustee, always attentive to the doings and gestures of his constituents?
– Alas! sighed the countryman, “she’s on fire! She swallowed the moon and didn't give it back! So my happiest day was followed by my saddest night.
However, as everyone was interested in Colin, the municipal council was convened for an extraordinary session. The trustee explained the seriousness of the case and concluded in his words: “As precautions are always good, we want in the future to interpose a spacious roof between the moon and the basin. The washerwomen will be happy and all the Colins will be reassured. »
The proposal was well received. Moreover, always guided by conservative principles, the advisors were keen to protect the night star against any accident, because they too, once, could linger at the fair of Château d'Oex or Bulle and need this good lantern to return home.
This is the authentic origin of the elegant Lessoc basin.
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