The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Other Aesop's/Fable 13
¶ The xiij fable is of a carpenter
N as moche as god is more propyce
and benygne to the good and holy /
moche more he punyssheth the
wycked and euylle / As we may
see by this fable / Of a carpenter
whiche cutte wode vpon a Ryuer for to make a
temple to the goddes / And as he cutte wode /
his axe felle in the Ryuer / wherfore he beganne
to wepe and to calle helpe of the goddes / And
the god Mercurye for pyte appiered before hym
And demaunded of hym wherfore he wepte / and
shewed to hym an axe of gold / and demaunded
of hym yf hit was the axe whiche he had lost /
& he sayd nay / And after the god shewed to hym
another axe of syluer / And semblably said nay
And by cause that Mercurius sawe that he was
good and trewe / he drewe his axe oute of the
water / and took hit to hym with moche good
that he gaf to hym / And the carpenter told thystory
to his felawes / of the whiche one of them
came in to the same place for to cutte woode as
his felawe dyd before / & lete falle his axe within
the water / and beganne / to wepe and to demaund the helpe and ayde of the goddes / And
thenne Mercury appiered to tore hym / and shewed
to hym an axe of gold / and demaunded of hym
in suche manere / Is the same hit that thow hast
lost / And he ansuerd to Mercury / ye fayre syre
and myghty god the same is it / And Mercury
seynge the malyce of the vylayne gaf to hym
neyther the same ne none other / and lefte hym
wepynge / For god whiche is good and Jurt rewarded
the good and trewe in this world / or
eche other after his deserte and punyssheth the
eyylle and Iniuste