Page:The Fables of Bidpai (Panchatantra).djvu/172

76 you infinit examples. The Pecocke though his faire tayle couer his fowle feete, yet it is not aide that he crapeth in dunghill at all, but he is reputed the fairet Fowle of two feete. The flehe of the Tortoie that is o good and holeome for man is not readily olde, but rather lotheth many becaue of his vglye light. If I doe but looke well into Princes Courtes, none go great thither, and thoe that come to greatnee clime by diuers degrees. Who for vertue, another for trength, and ome (be it poken with reuerence of thoe beates that haue vnderlandinge) for malice: others by continuall eruice, and numbers by other meanes. He that rieth thus in greatnee, and is noble and vertuous, it eemeth he goth into his proper naturall houe: but he that commeth to that greatnee with malice, and fayned appearance, he may make iut account I ay that they are but lent him.

¶ Yea marie nowe thou commet to vndertande me, therefore and thou be wie go not to the Court how oeuer thou doet. For if Fortune hould make thee great, whether it were by Arte, ubtiltie, or deceit: the Lordes and Peeres that are fine and cunning, and knowe all the points of malice, would doe to thee, as a Judge of the beates did to the Woolfe. And hearken howe.