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