Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/294

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THE FABLES

grete and brode / hye the now and goo doune & after take that cheſe /  ¶ And the wulf ſayd to the Foxe / thow muſt be the fyrſte of vs bothe / that ſhalle goo doune / And yf thow mayſt not brynge hit with the / by cauſe of his greteneſſe / I ſhalle thenne goo doune for to helpe the / And the Foxe was content / by cauſe two bokettys were there / of whiche as the one came vpward / the other wente dounward / and the foxe entryd in to one of the ſame bokettis / and wente doune in to the Welle / And whanne he was doune / he ſayd to the wulf / godſep come hyther and helpe me / For the cheſe is ſo moche and ſoo grete that I maye not bere hit vp / and thenne the wulf was aferd of that the Foxe ſhold ete hit / entryd wythynne the other boket / and as faſte as he wente dounward / the Foxe came vpward / and whan the wulf ſawe the Foxe comynge vpward / he ſayd to hym / My godſep ye goo hens / thow ſayſt trewe ſayd the Fox / For thus hit is of the world / For when one cometh doune / the other goth vpward / and thus the foxe wente awey / and lefte the wulf within the welle / And thus the wulf loſt bothe the oxen and the cheſe / wherfore hit is not good to leue that whiche is ſure and certayne / For to take that whiche is vncertayne / For many one ben therof deceyued by the falſheed and decepcion of the Aduocate and of the Juges