The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Liber Quartus/Fable 2
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¶ The second fable is of the auncyent wesel and of the rat
Ytte is better than force or strengthe /
As reherceth to vs this fable of
an old wesel / the whiche myghte
no more take no rats / wherfore
she was ofte sore hongry and bethought
her that she shold hyde her self withynne
the flowre for to take the rats whiche came
there for to ete hit. And as the rats came to the
floure / she took and ete them eche one after
other / And as the oldest rat of all perceyued
& knewe her malyce / he sayd thus in hym
self / Certaynly I shalle kepe me wel fro the /
For I knowe alle thy malyce & falshede ¶ And
therfore he is wyse that scapeth the wytte and
malyce of euylle[errata 1] folke / by wytte and not by
force