MISCELLANY
85
The
subtyl historyes and fables of Esope I
Wylliam
Caxton MCCCClxxxiiij
The
Lyon and the Shepeherde
The book of the subtyl
historyes and fables of Esope whiche were translated out of Frensshe in to
Englysshe by wylliam Caxton at westmynstre in the yere of oure Lorde M. CCCC.
lxxxiiij
Here
begynneth the thyrdde booke of the subtyle fables of Esope
wherof the fyrste maketh mencion of the lyon & of the pastour or herdman
THe myghty
and puyssaunt oughte not to be slowfull of the benefetes done to them by the
lytyl and smalle And oughte not also to forgete them but that they may be
rewarded of them
¶ And this
fable approueth esope & sheweth vnto vs of a lyon whiche ranne after a
beest and as he ranne a thorne entred in to his foote whiche
hurted and greued hym gretely wherfore he myght no ferther goo but as wel as he
cowde he came to a shepeherd whiche kepte his sheep and beganne to flatere with
his taylle shewynge to hym hys foote whiche was sore hurted and wounded The
sheepherd was in grete drede and casted before the lyon one of his sheep But
the lyon demaunded no mete of hym For
more he desyred to be medycyned and made hole of his foote
¶ And after
whanne the sheepherd sawe the wounde he with a nydle subtylly drewe oute of his
foote the thorne and had oute of the wound alle the roten flesshe and enoynted
hit with swete oynements
¶ And
anone the lyon was hole And for to haue rendred graces
and thankys to the sheepherd or pastour the lyon kyssed his handes And
after he retorned ageyn in to the hyest of the woode And within a lytel whyle
after it happed that this lyon was taken and conueyed to the Cyte of Rome and
was put amonge the other beestes for to deuoure the mysdoers Now it befelle
that the sayd shepeherd commysed a crymynous dede wherfore he was condempned to
be deuoured by these bestes And ryght
soo as he was cast emong them the lyon knewe hym and beganne to behold on hym and
made to hym chere and lykked hym with his tongue And preserued and kepte hym from alle the
other bestes
¶ Thenne the
sheepherd knewe that it was the lyon whiche he maade hole And
that he wold thenne haue recompensed hym of the good whiche he had done to hym wherof
alle the Romayns were all wonderly abasshed And
wold knowe the cause of hit And the sheepherd sayd to them as aboue is sayd
¶ And
whanne they knewe the cause they gaf leue to the sheepherd to goo
home and sente ageyne the lyon in to the forest And
therfore this is notary and trewe that al maner of folke ought to rendre and
gyue thankynges grace and mercye to theyre good doers For
slowfulnes is a synne whiche is moche displaysaunt to god
