Here begynneth the book of the subtyl historyes and fables of Esope whiche were translated out of Frensshe in to Englysshe by wylliam Caxton at westmynstre in the yere of oure Lorde M. CCCC. lxxxiij

¶ The xiij fable is of the foxe and of the storke

THow oughtest not to doo to other that whiche thow woldest not that men shold doo to the / wherof Esope re herceth to vs suche a fable / Of a foxe whiche conueyed a storke to souper / And the foxe put the mete vpon a traun∣cher / the whiche mete the storke myght not ete / wherof she tooke & had grete displaysaunce / & wente & departed oute of the fox∣es hows al hongry and wente ageyne to her lodgys / And by cause that the foxe had thus begyled her / she bythoughte in

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her self / how she myght begyle the Foxe / For as men saye / it is meryte to begyle the begylers / wherfore the storke prayd the foxe to come and soupe with her / and put his mete within a glas / And whanne the foxe wold haue eten / he myght not come ther by / but only he lycked the glas / bycause he cowde not reche to the mete with his mouthe / And thenne he knewe wel that he was deceyued / And thenne the storke sayd to hym / Take of suche goodes as thow gauest to me / And the poure foxe ryght shameful departed fro thens / And with the staf which he had made he was bete And therfore he that begyleth other / is oftyme begyled hym self /