The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Auian/Fable 12
¶ The xij fable is of the crane and of the pecock
Or what vertue that ony man hath /
none oughte to preyse hym self /
As hit apiereth by this fable / Of
a pecok / whiche somtyme made
a dyner to a crane / And And
whanne they had eten and dronken ynough /
they had grete wordes to gyder / wherfore the
pecok sayd to the crane / Thow hast not so fayre
a forme ne so fayre a fygure as I haue / ne also
fayr fethers / ne soo resplendysshynge as I haue /
To whome the crane ansuerd / and sayd / It is
trouthe / Neuertheles thow hast not one good / ne
one so fayre a vertue as I haue / For how be hit
that I haue no so fayre fethers as thow hast /
yet can I flee better than thy self dost / For
with thy fayre fethers thow must euer abyde
on the erthe / and I may flee where someuer
hit pleaseth me / And thus euerychone ought to
haue suffysaunce and to be content of that / that
he hath / without auanncynge or praysynge of
hym self / and not to dyspreyse none other.