The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Other Aesop's/Fable 3
¶ The thyrdde fable is of the Foxe and of the gote
E whiche is wyse and sage ought
fyrst to loke and behold the ende /
or he begynneth the werke or
dede / as hyer appiereth by this
fable / Of a foxe & of a gote /
that somtyme descended and wente doune in
to a depe welle / for to drynke. And Whanne
they had wel dronke / by cause that thei coude
not come vpward ageyne / the Foxe sayd to the
gote in this maner / my frend yf thow wylt helpe
me / we shall sone ben bothe oute of this welle /
For yf thow wylt sette thy two feet ageynste the
walle / I shal wel lepe vpon the / & vpon thy
homes And theune I shal lepe oute of this
welle / ¶ And whanne I shalle be oute of hit /
thow shalt take me by the handes / and I shal
plucke and drawe the oute of the welle / And
at this request the gote / acorded and ansuerd /
I wylle wel / And thene the gote lyfte vp his
feet ageynst the walle / and the foxe dyd so
moche by his malyce that he got out of the
welle / And whan he was oute / he began to loke on the gote / whiche was within the welle /
& thenne the gote sayd to hym / help me now
as thow hast promysed / And thene the foxe
beganne to lawhe and to scorne hym / and sayd
to hym / O mayster goote / yf thow haddest be
wel wyse with thy fayre berde / or euer thow
haddest entryd in to the welle / thow sholdest
fyrst haue taken hede / how thow sholdest haue
comen oute of hit ageyne /
¶ And therfore he whiche is wyse/ yf he wysely wylle gouerne hym self / ought to take euer good hede to the ende of his werke