The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Auian/Fable 8
¶ The eyght fable is of the two felawes
En ought not to hold felauship with
hym / whiche is acustommed to
begyle other/ As hit appiereth
by thys Fable / Of two felawes
whiche somtyme held felauship
to eche other for to goo bothe by montaynes and
valeyes And for to make better theyr vyage / they
were sworne eche one to the other / that none
of them bothe should leue other vnto that the
tyme of dethe shold come and departe them /
And as they walked in a forest they mette with
a grete wyld bere / & bothe felaws ran lone awey
for fere / of the whiche the one clymmed / vpon
a tree / And whan the other sawe that his felawe
had lefte hym leyd hym self on the erthe / and
fayned to be dede / And Incontynent the bere
came for to ete hym / but by cause the gallaunt
playd wel his game / the bere went forthe his
waye and touched hym not / And thene his felawe
came doun fro the tree whiche sayd to hym / I
pray thee to telle me what the bere sayd to the /
For as me semeth he spake to the / and hath shewed to the grete sygne or token of loue / And
thenne his felawe sayd to hym / He taught me
many fayre secretes / but emonge alle other
thynges he sayd to me / that I shold neuer trust
hym who ones hath deceyued me