Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/144



En Calle many folke Aes / that ben wel ubtyll / And uche to knowe moche / and to be a grete clerke that is but an ae / As hit appiereth by thys fable / Of a mule whiche ete grae in a medowe to a grate foret / to whome came a foxe whiche demaunded of hym / What arte thow / And the mule anuerd I am a beet / And the foxe ayd to hym / I ne demaunde ne ake of the that / but I ake who was thy fader /   ¶ And the mule anuerd / my grete fader was a hors / And the foxe ayd ageyne I ne demaunde to the that / but only that thow tellet me / who thow arte named / And the mule ayd to the foxe / I ne / by caue I was lytyll whanne my fader deyde / Neuertheles to thende that my name hold not be forgoten / my fader made hit to be vnder my lyfte foote behynde / wherfore thow wylt knowe my name / goo thow and loke vnder my foote /   ¶ And whanne the foxe vndertood the fallace or falhede / he wente