The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Liber Quartus/Fable 6

3810126The subtyl historyes and fables of Esope, Liber Quartus — Fable 6: The Bochers and the WhethersWilliam Caxton

¶ The vi fable is of the bochers and of the whethers

WHanne a lygnage or kynred is indyfferent or indyuysyon / not lyghtly they shalle doo ony thynge to theyr salute / as reherceth to vs this fable / Of a bocher whiche entryd within a stable full of whethers / And after as the whethers sawe hym / none of them sayd one word / And the bocher toke the fyrst that he fonde / ¶ Thenne the whethers spake al to gyder and sayd / lete him doo what he wylle / And thus the bocher tooke him all one after another sauf one onely / And as he wold haue taken the last / the poure whether sayd to hym / Iustly I am worthy to be take / by cause I haue not holpen my felawes / For he that wylle not helpe ne comforte other / ought not to demaunde or aske helpe ne comforte / For vertue whiche is vnyed is better than vertue separate