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 wulf and of the foxe

NOne maye not be mayster without he haue be fyrste a disciple / As hit appiereth by this Fable / Of a Foxe whiche came toward a wulf / and sayd to hym / /

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My lord I proye yow that ye wylle be my godsep / And the wulf ansuerd / I am content / And the foxe toke to hym his sone prayenge hym that to his sone he wold shewe and lerne good doctryne / the whiche the wulf tooke / and wente with hym vpon a montayne / And thenne he sayd to the lytyll foxe wharne the beestes shalle come to the feldes calle me / And the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wente and sawe fro the top of the hylle / how the beestes were comynge to the feldes / and forthwith he wente and cal∣led his godfader / and sayd My godfader the beestes comen in to the feldes / And the wulf demaunded of hym / what bestes are they / and the fox ansuerd / they be bothe kyne & swyn to gy der / wel sayd the wulf / I gyue no force for them / lete them go for the ••••gges ben with them / And soone after the foxe dyd loke on another syde and perceyued the mare whiche wente to the feldes / and he wente to his godfader & sayd / godfader the mare is go•••• to the feldes / & the wulf demaunded of hym wh••••re abou•••• is she / And the foxe ansuerd she is by the forest / And the wulf sayd / Now go we to dyner / And the wulf with his godsone entryd in to the wood / and came to the mare / ¶ The

wulf perceyued wel and sawe a yonge colt / whiche was by his moder / the wulf tooke hym by the neck with his trethe and drewe hit within the wood / and ete & deuoured hym by∣twene them bothe / ¶ And whan they had wel eten the godson sayd to his godfader / My godfader I commaūde yow to god and moche I thanke yow of your doctryne / For wel ye haue taught me / in so moche / that now I am a grete clerke / & now I wylle goo toward my moder / And thenne the wulf sayd to his godson / My godsone yf thow gost awey / thow shalt re∣pente the therfore / For thow hast not yet wel studyed / and knowest not yet the Sylogysmes / ¶ Ha my godfader sayd the Foxe / I knowe wel al / ¶ And the wulf sayd to hym / Sythe thow wylt goo / to god I commaunde the / ¶ And whanne the Foxe was come toward his moder / she sayd to hym / Certaynly / thow hast not yet studyed ynough / ¶ And he thenne sayd to her / Moder I am soo grete a clerke that I can cast the deuylle fro the clyf / ••••ete vs go chace / and ye shalle see yf I haue lerned ought or not / ¶ And the yong foxe wold haue done as his godfader the wulf dede / and said to his moder / make good watche / ¶ And whanne the beestes shalle come to the feld / lete me haue therof knowlege / And his moder sayd / wel my sone / so shalle I doo / She maade go∣od watche / And whanne she sawe that both kyne and swyne wente to the feldes / she sayd thenne to hym. My sone the kyne and the swyn to gyder ben in the feldes / And he ansuerd / My moder of them I retche n••••t / lete them goo / for the dogges kepe them wel / ¶ And within a short whyle after / the mo der sawe come the mare nyg••••e vnto a wode / and wente / and sayd to her sone / My sone the mare is nyghe the wood. And he ansuerd / My moder these ben good tydynges / Abyde ye here / For I goo to fetche our dyner / and wente and entred in to the Wode / And after wold doo as his godfader dyd be∣fore / and wente and tooke the mare by the neck / But the mare tooke hym with her treth / and bare hym to the sheepherd And the moder cryed from the top of the hylle / My sone lete goo the mare / and come hyder ageyne / but he myght not / For the mare held hym fast with her teethe / ¶ And as the sheep∣herdes

came for to kylle hym / the moder cryed and sayd we∣pynge / Allas my sone thow dydest not lerne wel / and hast ben to lytel a whyle at•••• scole / wherfore thow must now deye myserably / And the sheepherdes took and slewe hym / For no ne ought to saye hym self mayster withoute that he haue fyrst studyed / For some wene to be a grete clerke / that can nothyng of clergye /