The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Other Aesop's/Fable 11

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The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs), Other Aesop's Fables (1484)
by Aesop, translated by William Caxton
Fable 11: The ante and of the columbe

Numbered 235 in the Perry Index. Translated from French by William Caxton and first published in 1484. Click here to create an annotated version of this text.

3925530The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs), Other Aesop's Fables — Fable 11: The ante and of the columbeWilliam CaxtonAesop

¶ The xj fable is of the ante and of the columbe

NOne ought to be slowful of the good whiche he receyueth of other / As reherceth this fable of an Ante / whiche came to a fontayne for to drynke / and as she wold haue dronke she felle within the fontayn / vpon the whiche was a columbe or douue / whiche seyng that the Ante shold haue ben drowned withoute helpe / took a braunche of a tree / & cast it to her for to saue her self /  ¶ And the Ante wente anone upon the braunche and saued her /  ¶ And anone after came a Fawkoner / whiche wold haue take the douue / And thenne the Ante whiche sawe that the Fawkoner dressed his nettes came to his foote / and soo fast pryked hit / that she caused hym to smyte the erthe with his foote / and therwithe made soo gret noyse / that the douue herd hit / wherfore she flewhe aweye or the gynne and nettes were al sette /  ¶ And therfore none ought to forgete the benyfyce whiche he hath receyued of some other / for slowfulnesse is a grete synne