Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/285



Omtyme there was a labourer / whiche had a gardeyn wel playaunt and moche delycious / in to the whiche he ofte wente for to take his deporte and playure / And on a day at euen when he was wery and had trauaylled ore / for to take his recreacion he entryd in to his gardyn and ette himelf doune vnder a tree/ where as he herd the onge of a nyghtyngale / And for the grete pleyre and Joye whiche he took therof / he ought and at the lat fond the meanes for to take the nyghtyngale / to thende / that yet gretter joye and playaunce he myght haue of hit / And whan the nyghtyngale was take / he demaunded of the labourer / wherfore hat thow take o grete payne for to take me / For wel thow knowet that of me thow mayt not haue grete prouffyte / And the vylayne anuerd thus to the nyghtyngale / For to here the onge of the I haue taken the / And the nyghtyngale anuerd Certaynly in vayne thou hat payned and laboured / For / for no good I