¶ The fourthe fable is of the dragon and of the herte
En ought not to rendre euylle for
good / And them that helpen
ought not to be letted / As reherceth
thys fable Of a dragon
whiche was within a Ryuer / and
as this Ryuer was dymynuyſſhed of water / the
dragon abode at the Ryuage / whiche was al
drye / And thus for lack of watre he coude
not ſtere hym / A labourer or vylayne came
thēne that waye / and demaunded of the dragon /
what doſt thow there / And the dragon anſuerd
to hym / I am here lefte withoute water / withoute
whiche I can not meue / but yf thow wilt
bynd me / and ſette me vpon thyn aſſe / and
lede me in to my Ryuer / I ſhal gyue to the
habondaunce of gold and ſyluer / And the
vylayne or chorle for courtyſe bound and ledde
hym in to his repayre / And whanne he had
vnbounden hym / he demaunded his ſallary /
and payment / And the dragon ſayd to hym /
By cauſe that thow haſt bounden me / thow
