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 fourthe fable is of the dragon and of the ••••erle

MEn ought not to rendre euylle for good / And them that helpen ought not to be letted / As reherceth thys fable Of a dragon whiche was within a Ryuer / and as this Ryuer was dymynuyssled of water / the dragon abo∣de at the Ryuage / whiche was al drye / And thus for lack of watre he coude not stere hym / A labourer or vylayne came thē∣ne that waye / and demaunded of the dragon / what dost thow there / And the dragon ansuerd to hym / I am here lefte with∣oute water / withoute whiche I can not meue / but yf thow wilt bynd me / and sette me vpon thyn asse / and lede me in to my Ryuer / I shal gyue to the habondaunce of gold and syluer / And the vylayne or chorle for couetyse bound and ledde hym in to his repayre / And whanne he had vnbounden hym / he de∣maunded his sallary / and payment / And the dragon sayd to hym / By cause that thow hast bounden me / thow wylt be payd And by cause that I am now hongry / I shalle ete the / And the vylayne ansuerd and sayd / For to haue done wel / thow wylt ete and deuoure me / And as they stryued to gyder / the

foxe whiche was within the forest herd wel theyr question and different came to them / and sayd in this manere / Stryue ye no more to gyder / For I wyll acord / and make pees bytwixt you ••••ate eche of yow telle to me his reason for to wete / whiche of yow hath ryght / And whanne eche of them had told his caas the foxe sayd to the vylayne / Shewe thow to me / how thow boundest the dragon / to thende / that I may gyue therof a trewe and lawfull sentence / And the vylayne put the dragon vpon his asse / and bound hym as he had done before / And the fox demaunded of the dragon / helde he thenne the so fast bounden / as he dothe now / And the dragon ansuerd / ye my lord / and yet more hard / And the foxe sayd to the vylayn / Bynde hym yet more harder / For who that wel byndeth / wel can he vnbynd And whanne the dragon was fast and wel bounden / the fox sayd to the vylayne / bere hym ageyn there as thow fyrst tokest hym / And there thow shalt leue hym bounden as he is n••••w / And thus he shalle not ete ne deuoure the / For he that dothe euylle / euylle he must haue / For Iustly he shall ben punysshed of god / they that done harme and dommage to the poure folke For who so euer rendreth euylle for good / he shalle therof iust ly be rewarded