¶ The fyrste fable maketh mencion of the mulet / of the foxe / and of the wulf
En Calle many folke Aſſes / that ben wel ſubtyll / And ſuche wenen to knowe moche / and to be a grete clerke that is but an aſſe / As hit appiereth by thys fable / Of a mule whiche ete graſſe in a medowe nyghe to a grate foreſt / to whome came a foxe whiche demaunded of hym / What arte thow / And the mule anſuerd I am a beeſt / And the foxe ſayd to hym / I ne demaunde ne aſke of the that / but I aſke who was thy fader / ¶ And the mule anſuerd / my grete fader was a hors / And the foxe ſayd ageyne I ne demaunde to the that / but only that thow telleſt me / who thow arte named / And the mule ſayd to the foxe / I ne wote / by cauſe I was lytyll whanne my fader deyde / Neuertheles to thende that my name ſhold not be forgoten / my fader made hit to be wreton vnder my lyfte foote behynde / wherfore uf[errata 1] thow wylt knowe my name / goo thow and loke vnder my foote / ¶ And whanne the foxe vnderſtood the fallace or falſhede / he
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