Page:The Fables of Bidpai (Panchatantra).djvu/141

Rh o greedie to haue that it liketh and eeth, that to be owner of that we would, we put our elues to all manner of daungers, and intollerable paynes of this world. To be briefe: euery man (little or much) wetteth himelfe in this raging riuer of man's life. He that wetting his foote runneth alonget the bancks ide of this terrible Brooke, is a man that is oppreed with bondage, that enioyeth naught ele in this world but mierable lyfe. The other that waheth his legge, liueth by his labor, and commeth to take more of the world, and to tate the delights there of bearing many afflictions. He that thrutes in his whole bodie in this water, hath poeed the eignorie and gouernment of the mot wicked and haplee tate of this world. O vnpeakable cruelty, that once patted forwards he entreth per force into the middet, and reacheth to this man and to that man that he hath, keeping himelf alwaies in this daungerous tate. But in the ende overtaken by ome accident, as warre, treaon, poyon, or mans force, he falleth into deathes lappe: and he that hath followed his troubleome life remayneth depriued of all his goodes, bicaue wanting the heade, the ret of the members remain vile, filthie, and tincking. Sure this worldly life repreenteth no more but the little worlde of our bodie, which carrieth a