The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Liber Primus/Fable 6
¶ The vj fable is of the lyon and of the cowe / of the goote and of the sheep
en sayen that it is not good to ete plommes with his lord / ne to the poure it is not good to have partage and dyuysyon with hym which is ryche & myghty / wherof Esope reherceth suche a fable / The cowe / the gote & the sheep went ones a huntyng & chase / with the lyon and toke a herte / And whanne they cake / [came] to haue theyr parte / the lyon sayd to them / My lordes I late you wete / that the fyrst part is myn by cause I am your lord / the second by cause / I am stronger than ye be / the thyrd / by cause I ranne more swifter than ye dyd / and who so ever toucheth the fourthe parte / he shall be myn mortal enemy / And thus he took for hym selfe alone the herte / And therfore this fable techeth to al folk / that the poure ought not to hold felauship with the myghty / For the myghty man is neuer feythfull to the poure