Alphabet of tales : an English 15th century translation of the Alphabetum narrationum of Etienne de Besançon, from Additional MS. 25,719 of the British Museum / by Etienne de Besançon

CVI.
Beneficia impensa eciam bruta animalia recognoscunt.

Damianus tellis how som̛ tyme merchandis of Venys wer opon̛ þe se, & gretlie vexid̛ with stormys, so at þai wyste neuer whar þai war. So att þe laste þai fand̛ ane Ile in þe see, & þer þai landid̛ & tuke þaim ffressch water & wud, & sucℏ as þaim nedid̛. And þai cuthe fynd no creatur þer bod wilde bestis. So at þe laste, as a meneya of þaim went vp in a cragg to gett þaim wud̛, þai fande how þat a dragon̛ had taken̛ a lyon̛ & wold̛ hafe devowrid̛ hym̛ & drawen̛ hym̛ into his den̛; and þai feƚƚ on̛ þis dragon̛ with þer wapens & kyld̛ hym̛, & delyverd̛ þe lyon̛ & lete hym̛ go. And evur-ilk day als lang as þai lay þer, þis lyon̛ was nott vnkynd̛, & he broght þaim owder a swyne or a schepe new slayn̛, a little

befor none of þe day, evyn̛ in þe skyn̛ as he had taken̛ itt. Lo! how frendlie ane vnresonable beste rewardid̛ þaim þat did̛ hym̛ gude & savyd̛ his lyfe. et c̛.