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The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Auian/Fable 22

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Numbered 35 in the Perry Index. Click here to create an annotated version of this text.

3930067The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs), The Fables of Avian — Fable 22: The Viator and SatyreAvianus

¶ The xxij fable is of the viator or palmer and of Satyre

MEn ought to beware & kepe hym self from hym whiche bereth both fyre and water / as reherceth to vs this Fable Of a pylgrim / whiche somtyme walked in the wynter / and wente thurgh a grete forest /  ¶ And by cause that the snowe had couerd al the wayes / he wist ne knewe not whyther he wente / ageynste the whiche came a wodewose named Satyre by cause he sawe hym a cold / whiche aproched to the pylgrym and brought hym in to his pytte / And whan the pylgrym sawe hym / he hadde grete drede by cause that a wodewose is a monstre lyke to the man / as hit appiereth by his fygure /  ¶ And as the wodewose or Satyre ledde the pylgrym in to his pytte / the pylgrym dyd blowe within his handes for to chauffe them / For he was sore cold / And thenne the wodewose gaf to hym hote water to drynke /  ¶ And whan the pylgrym wold haue dronken hit / he beganne to blowe in hit / And the wodewose demaunded of hym / why he dyd hinwe in hit / And the pylgrym sayd to hym / I blowe in hit / for to haue it somwhat more cold than hit is / The wodewose thenne sayd to hym / Thy felauship is not good to me / by cause that thow berest bothe the fyre and the water in thy mouthe / therfore go hens fro my pyt and neuer retorne ageyne / For the felauship of the man whiche hath two tongues is nought / And the man wiche is wyse ought to flee the felauship of flaterers / For by flateryng & adulacion many haue ben begyled and deceyued