Aesop's Fables

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Dublin Core

Title

Aesop's Fables

Description

Better worthe is to lyue in pouerte surely than to lyue rychely beyng euer in daunger wherof Esope telleth suche a fable There were two rats wherof the one was grete and fatte and held hym in the celer of a Ryche man And the other was poure and lene On a daye this grete and fat ratte wente to sporte hym in the feldes and mette by the way the poure rat of the whiche he was receyued as well as he coude in his poure cauerne or hole and gaf hym of suche mete as he had Thenne sayd the fatte ratte come thow wyth me And I shalle gyue the wel other metes He went with hym in to the toune and entred bothe in to the celer of the ryche man the whiche celer was full of alle goodes And whan they were within the grete rat presented and gaf to the poure rat of the delycious metes sayeng thus to hym Be mery and make good chere and ete and drynke Ioyously And as they were etynge the bouteler of the place came in to the celer & the grete rat fled anon in to his hole & the poure rat wist not whyther he shold goo ne flee but hyd hym behynd the dore with grete fere and drede and the bouteler torned ageyne and sawe hym not And whan he was gone the fatte rat cam out of his cauerne or hole and called the poure ratte whiche yet was shakynge for fere and said to hym come hyder and be not aferd & ete as moche as thou wylt And the poure rat sayd to hym for goodes loue lete me go oute of this celer For I haue leuer ete some corne in the feldes and lyue surely than to be euer in this torment for thou arte here in grete doubte & lyuest not surely And therfore hit is good to lyue pourely & surely For the poure lyueth more surely than the ryche

Creator

William Caxton

Source

Aesopica

Date

1484

Contributor

Transcribed to web by Laura Gibbs

Language

English

Identifier

7