Robert Henryson's The morall fabillis of Esope the Phrygian

The taill of the wolf, and the wedder

Qwhylum thair wes as esope can report Line 2448 Ane scheipheird duelland be ane forrest neir. Line 2449 Quhilk had ane hound, that did him grit comfort, Line 2450 Full war he wes to walk his fauld but weir. Line 2451 That nouther volff, nor wildcat durst appeir, Line 2452 Nor foxe on feild, nor zit no vther beist, Line 2453 Bot he thame slew, or chaissit at the leist. Line 2454

Sa happinnit it as euerilk beist man de Line 2455 This hound off suddand seiknes to be deid. Line 2456 Bot than god wait the keipar off the fe, Line 2457 For verray wo woxe wanner nor the weid. Line 2458 Allace quod he now se i na remeid, Line 2459 To saif the selie beistis that i keip, Line 2460 For with the volff, weryit beis all my scheip. Line 2461

It wald haue maid ane mannis hart sair to se, Line 2462 The selie scheiphirdis lamentatioun. Line 2463 Now is my darling deid, allace quod he Line 2464 For now to beg my breid i may be boun, Line 2465 with pyikstaff, and with scrip to fair off toun. Line 2466 For all the beistis befoir bandonit bene, Line 2467 Will schute vpon my beistis with ire and tene. Line 2468

With that ane wedder wrethlie wan on fute: Line 2469 Maister quod he mak merie, and be blyith. Line 2470 To brek zour hart for baill, it is na bute. Line 2471 For ane deid dog ze na cair on zow kyith. Line 2472 Ga fetche him hither, and fla his skyn off swyth. Line 2473 Syne sew it on me: and luke that it be meit, Line 2474

Baith heid, and crag, bodie, taill, and feit. Line 2475

Than will the volff trow that i am he. Line 2476 For i sall follow him fast quhar euer he fair. Line 2477 All haill the cure i tak it vpon me. Line 2478 Zour scheip to keip at midday, lait, and air. Line 2479 And he persew, be god, i sall not spair Line 2480 To follow him as fast as did zour doig. Line 2481 Swa that i warrand, ze sall not want ane hoig. Line 2482

Than said the scheipheird, this come of ane gude wit. Line 2483 Thy counsall is baith sicker, leill, and trew. Line 2484 Quha sayis ane scheip is daft, thay lieit of it. Line 2485 With that in hy the doggis skyn off he flew, Line 2486 And on the scheip rycht softlie couth it sew Line 2487 Than worth the wedder wantoun off his weid. Line 2488 Now off the volff quod he i haue na dreid. Line 2489

In all thingis he counterfait the dog, Line 2490 For all the nycht he stude, and tuke na sleip. Line 2491 Swa that weill lang thair wantit not ane hog, Line 2492 Swa war he wes, and walkryfe thame to keip, Line 2493 That lowrence durst not luke vpon ane scheip, Line 2494 For and he did, he followit him sa fast, Line 2495 That off his lyfe he maid him all agast. Line 2496

Was nowther volff, vildcat, nor zit tod, Line 2497 Durst cum within thay boundis all about: Line 2498 Bot he wald chase thame baith throw rouch and snod. Line 2499 Thay bailfull beistis had of thair lyuis sic dout. Line 2500 For he wes mekill, and semit to be stout. Line 2501 That euerilk beist thay dred him as the deid, Line 2502 Within that woid that nane durst hald thair heid. Line 2503

Zit happinnit thair ane hungrie volff to slyde Line 2504 Out throw his scheip, quhair thay lay on ane le, Line 2505 I sall haue ane quod he quhat euer betyde, Line 2506 Thocht i be werryit, for hunger or i de. Line 2507 With that ane lamb in till his cluke hint he. Line 2508 The laif start vp, for thay wer all agast. Line 2509 Bot god wait gif the wedder followit fast. Line 2510

Went neuer hound mair haistelie fra the hand, Line 2511 Quhen he wes rynnand maist raklie at the ra, Line 2512 Nor went this wedder baith ouer mois and strand, Line 2513 And stoppit nouther at bank, busk, nor bra. Line 2514 Bot followit ay sa ferslie on his fa, Line 2515 With sic ane drift, quhill dust and dirt ouer draif him. Line 2516 And maid ane vow to god that he suld haue him. Line 2517

With that the volff let out his taill on lenth, Line 2518 For he wes hungrie, and it drew neir the ene. Line 2519 And schupe him for to ryn with all his strenth, Line 2520 Fra he the vedder sa neir cummand had sene, Line 2521 He dred his lyfe, and he ouertane had bene. Line 2522 Thairfoir he spairit nowther busk, nor boig. Line 2523 For weill he kennit the kenenes off the doig. Line 2524

To mak him lycht, he kest the lamb him fra. Line 2525 Syne lap ouer leis, and draif throw dub and myre. Line 2526 Na quod the wedder in faith we part not swa. Line 2527 It is not the lamb, bot the, that i desyre. Line 2528 I sall cum neir, for now i se the tyre. Line 2529 The volff ran till ane rekill stude behind him Line 2530 Bot ay the neirar the vedder he couth bind him. Line 2531

Sone efter that, he followit him sa neir, Line 2532 Quhill that the volff for fleidnes fylit the feild, Line 2533 Syne left the gait, and ran throw busk, and breir, Line 2534 And schupe him fra the schawis for to scheild. Line 2535 He ran restles, for he wist off na beild. Line 2536 The wedder followit him, baith out, and in, Line 2537 Quhill that ane breir busk raif rudelie off the skyn. Line 2538

The volff wes wer, and blenkit him behind, Line 2539 And saw the wedder come thrawand throw the breir. Line 2540 Tyne saw the doggis skyn hingand on his lind. Line 2541 Na quod he is this ze, that is sa neir? Line 2542 Richt now ane hound, and now quhyte as ane freir. Line 2543 I fled ouer fer, and i had kennit the cais. Line 2544 To god i vow, that ze sall rew this rais. Line 2545

Quhat wes the cause ze gaif me sic ane katche? Line 2546 With that in hy he hint him be the horne. Line 2547 For all zour mowis, ze met anis with zour matche, Line 2548 Suppois ze leuch me all this zeir to scorne. Line 2549 For quhat enchessoun this doggis skyn haue ze borne? Line 2550 Maister quod he bot to haue playit with zow, Line 2551 I zow requyre, that ze nane vther trow. Line 2552

Is this zour bourding in ernist than quod he Line 2553 For i am verray effeirit, and on flocht. Line 2554 Cum bak agane, and i sall let zow se. Line 2555 Than quhar the gait wes grimmit he him brocht. Line 2556 Quhether call ze this fair play, or nocht? Line 2557 To set zour maister in sa fell effray, Line 2558 Quhill he for feiritnes hes fylit vp the way. Line 2559

Thryis be my saull ze gart me schute behind, Line 2560 Vpon my hoichis the senzeis may be sene. Line 2561 For feiritnes full oft i fylit the wind. Line 2562 Now is this ze: na bot ane hound, i wene. Line 2563 Me think zour teith ouer schort to be sa kene. Line 2564 Blissit be the busk, that reft zow zour array. Line 2565 Ellis, fleand, bursin had i bene this day. Line 2566

Schir quod the wedder suppois i ran in hy, Line 2567 My mynd wes neuer to do zour persoun ill. Line 2568 Ane flear gettis ane follower commounly, Line 2569 In play or ernist, preif quha sa euer will. Line 2570 Sen i bot playit, be gracious me till. Line 2571 And i sall gar my freindis blis zour banis. Line 2572 Ane full gude seruand will crab his maister anis. Line 2573

I haue bene oftymis set in grit effray, Line 2574 Bot be the rude sa rad zit wes i neuer. Line 2575 As thow hes maid me with thy prettie play. Line 2576 I schot behind quhen thow ouertuke me euer. Line 2577 Bot sikkerlie now sall we not disseuer. Line 2578 Than be the crag-bane smertlie he him tuke, Line 2579 Or euer he ceissit, and it in schunder schuke. Line 2580

Moralitas

Esope that poet first father of this fabill Line 2581 Wrait this parabole quhilk is conuenient. Line 2582 Because the sentence wes fructuous and agreabill, Line 2583 In moralitie exemplatiue prudent. Line 2584 Quhais problemes bene verray excellent, Line 2585 Throw similitude of figuris to this day, Line 2586 Geuis doctrine to the redaris of it ay. Line 2587

Heir may thow se, that riches of array, Line 2588 Will cause pure men presumpteous for to be. Line 2589 Thay think thay hald of nane be thay als gay, Line 2590 Bot counterfute ane lord in all degre. Line 2591 Out of thair cais in pryde thay clym sa hie, Line 2592 That thay forbeir thair better in na steid, Line 2593 Quhill sum man tit thair heillis ouer thair heid. Line 2594

Richt swa in seruice vther sum exceidis, Line 2595 And thay haif withgang, welth, and cherising, Line 2596 That thay will lychtlie lordis in thair deidis, Line 2597 And lukis not to thair blude, nor thair ofspring. Line 2598 Bot zit nane wait, how lang that reull will ring. Line 2599 Bot he was wyse, that bad his sone considder. Line 2600 Bewar in welth, for hall benkis ar rycht slidder. Line 2601

Thairfoir i counsell men of euerilk stait, Line 2602 To knaw thame self, and quhome thay suld forbeir. Line 2603 And fall not with thair better in debait, Line 2604 Suppois thay be als galland in thair geir. Line 2605 It settis na seruand for to vphald weir, Line 2606 Nor clym sa hie, quhill he fall of the ledder. Line 2607 Bot think vpon the wolf, and on the wedder. Line 2608