The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Auian/Fable 6
¶ The vj fable is of the two dogges
E that taketh within hym self vayne
glorye of that thynge / by the
whiche he shold humble hym self
is a very fole / as hit appereth by
this fable / of a fader of famylle /
whiche had two dogges / of the whiche the one
withoute ony barkyng bote the folke / & the
other dyd barke and bote not / And whan the
fader of famyll perceyued the shrewdness and
malyce of the dogge that barkyd not he henge
on his nek a belle / to the ende that men shold
beware of hym / wherfore the dogge was ouer
prowd and fyers / and beganne to dyspreyse alle
the other dogges / of the whiche one of the moost
auncyent sayd to hym in this manere / O fole
beest / now perceyue I wel thy foly and grete
wodenesse to suppose / that this belle is gyuen to
the for thyn owne deserte and meryte / but certaynly
hit is not soo / For hit is taken to the for
thy demerytes / and by cause of thy shrewdnesse /
and grete treason / for to shewe / that thow arte
fals and traytour / And therfore none oughte to
be Joyeful and gladde of that thynge / wherof he oughte to be tryst and sorowful / as many foles
done / whiche make Joye of theyr vyces and
euyll dedes / for a moche fole were the theef
whiche that men ledde for to be hanged / and
that he had a cord of gold aboute his neck / yf
he shold make Joye therof / how be hit that the
corde were moche ryche and fayre