The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Other Aesop's/Fable 1

¶ The fyrst fable is of the Egle and of the rauen

 

One ought to take on hym self to doo a thynge / whiche is peryllous withoute he fele hym self strong ynouȝ to doo hit / As reherceth this Fable / Of an Egle / whiche fleynge took a lambe / wherof the Rauen hadde grete enuye wherfor vpon another tyme as / the sayd rauen sawe a grete herd of sheep / by his grete enuy & pryde & by his grete oultrage descended on them / And by suche fachon and manere smote a wether that his clowes abode to the flyes of hit / In soo moche that he coude not flee awey / The sheep herd thenne came and brake and toke his wynges from hym / And after bare hym to his children to playe them with / And demaunded of hym / what byrd he was / And the Rauen ansuerd to hym / I supposed to haue ben an Egle / And by my ouerwenynge I wende to haue take a lambe / as the egle dyd / but now I knowe wel that I am a Rauen / wherfore the feble ought not in no wyse to compare hym self to the stronge / For somtyme when he supposeth to doo more than he may / he falleth in to grate deshonour / as hit appiereth by this present Fable / Of a Rauen / whiche supposen to haue ben as stronge as the egle