The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Auian/Fable 14
¶ The xiiij fable is of the four oxen
En oughte not to breke his feythe
ageynste his good Frend / ne to
leue his felauship / as hit appiereth
by this fable / of four oxen whiche
to gyder were in a fair medowe /
¶ And by cause that euer they were and kepte
them to gyder / none other beest durste not assaylle
them / and also the lyon dradde them moche /
the whiche lyon on a daye came to them / And
by his deceyuable wordes thoughte for to begyle
them / & to rausshe & take them the better /
maade them to be separed eche one fro other /
¶ And whanne they were sepered / the lyon
wente / and toke one of them / And whan the
lyon wold haue strangled hym / the oxe sayd to
hym / godsep / He is a foole whiche byleueth
fals and deceyuable wordes And leuelh the felawship
of his good frende / For yf we had ben euer
to gyder / thow haddest not taken me / And
therfore he whiche is / and standeth wel sure /
ought to kepe hym soo that he falle not / For
to whiche is wel / meue not hym self