Page:The fables of Aesop, as first printed by William Caxton in 1484, with those of Avian, Alfonso and Poggio. Vol 2.djvu/319

 

of fyſſes mayles / wherwith he ſwymmed / and only he hadde but the hede oute of the water / ¶ It happed thenne as many wymmen bouked and weſſhed at the porte or hauen of the ſayd Ryuer / that thys horryble and ferdfull beeſte was / for lacke and defaulte of mete cam & ſwymmyng toward the ſayd wymen / Of the which he toke one by the hand / and ſuppoſed to haue drawe her in to the water / but ſhe was ſtronge / and wel auyſed and reſyſted agevnſte the ſayd monſtre / And as ſhe deffended her ſelf / ſhe beganne to crye with a hyhe voys / help help / to the whiche came rennynge fyue wymmen / whiche by hurlynge and drawynge of ſtones kyld and ſlewe the ſayd monſtre / For he was come to ferre within the ſonde / wherfore he myght not retorne in the depe water / And after whanne he rendryd his ſpyryte / he made a ryght lytyl crye / ſayenge wo that he was ſo deſormed and ſoo moche cruel / For he was of grete corpulence more than ony man's body/ And yet ſayth Poge in this manere / that he beyng at Ferrare he ſawe the ſayd monſtre / And ſaith yet / that the yonge children were cuſtomed for to go bathe and waſſhe them within the ſayd Ryuer / but they came not all ageyne / wherfore the wymen weſſhed ne bouked nomore theyr clothes at the ſaid porte / For the folke preſumed and ſuppoſed