Page:The Fables of Bidpai (Panchatantra).djvu/141

ſo greedie to haue that it liketh and ſeeth, that to be owner of that we would, we put our ſelues to all manner of daungers, and intollerable paynes of this world. To be briefe: euery man (little or much) wetteth himſelfe in this raging riuer of man's life. He that wetting his foote runneth alongeſt the bancks ſide of this terrible Brooke, is a man that is oppreſſed with bondage, that enioyeth naught elſe in this world but miſerable lyfe. The other that waſheth his legge, liueth by his labor, and commeth to take more of the world, and to taſte the delights there of bearing many afflictions. He that thruſtes in his whole bodie in this water, hath poſſeſſed the ſeignorie and gouernment of the moſt wicked and hapleſſe ſtate of this world. O vnſpeakable cruelty, that once patted forwards he entreth per force into the middeſt, and reacheth to this man and to that man that he hath, keeping himſelf alwaies in this daungerous ſtate. But in the ende overtaken by ſome accident, as warre, treaſon, poyſon, or mans force, he falleth into deathes lappe: and he that hath followed his troubleſome life remayneth depriued of all his goodes, bicauſe wanting the heade, the reſt of the members remain vile, filthie, and ſtincking. Sure this worldly life repreſenteth no more but the little worlde of our bodie, which carrieth a