Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/166

 

whanne he was wel bounden / the foxe ſayd to the wulf / goo thow by the Ryuer / and I ſhalle lede and take hede to the baſket / And the wulf dyde as the foxe had hym do / ¶ And as the wulf was goynge within the water / the foxe fylled the baſket fulle of ſtones by his malyce / ¶ And whan the baſket was full / the foxe ſayd to the wulf / Certaynly my lord / I maye no more lyfte ne hold the baſket / ſo full it is of fyſſhe / ¶ And the wulf wenynge that the foxe had ſayd truthe / profered ſuch wordes / ſayenge / I render graces and thankes to god / that I maye ones ſee thyn hyghe and excellente wyſedome in the arte and crafte of fyſſhynge / ¶ And thenne the foxe ſayd to hym / My lord abyde me here / And I ſhalle fetche ſome to helpe vs for to haue and take the fyſſhe oute of the baſket / And in ſayenge theſe wordes / the foxe ranne in to the ſtrete / where he fond men / to whome he ſayd in this manere / My lordes what doo ye here / why are yow werkleſs / ſee yonder the wulf / which ete your ſheep / your lambes / and your beeſtes / and yet now he taketh your fyſſhes oute of the Ryuer / and ete them / ¶ And thenne alle the men came to gyder / ſomme with ſlynges / and ſomme with bowes / and other with ſtaues vnto the Ryuer / where they fond the wulf / whiche they bete