Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/105



e that gyueth ayde and help to his enemy is caue of his dethe / as recyteth this fable of a man whiche made an axe / And after that he had made his axe / he aked of the trees / and ayd / ye trees gyue yow to me a handle / and the trees were content / ¶ And whanne he had maade fat his handle to the axe / he began to cutte and throwe doune to the ground alle the trees / wherfore the oke and the ahe ayd / yf we be cutte / hit is wel ryght and reaon / For to oure owne elf we ben cut and /    ¶ And thus hit is not good to put hym elf in to the daunger and ubiection of his enemye / ne to helpe hym for to be adōmaged / as thou mait ee by this preente fable / For men ought not to gyue the taf by whiche they may be beten with