The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Liber Secundus/Fable 16
¶ The xvj fable is of the mule and of the flye.
Omme maken gretemenaces / whiche
haue no myghte / ¶ Wherof Esope
reherceth suche a fable / ¶ Of a
carter / whiche ladde a Charyot
or carte / whiche a Mule drewe
forthe / And by cause the Mule wente not fast
ynough / the flye sayd to the Mule / Ha a payllart
Mule / why goost thow not faster / I shalle soo
egrely pryke the / that I shalle make the go
lyghtely / ¶ And the Mule answered to the
flye / God kepe and preserue the mone for the
wolues / For I haue ne grete drede ne fere of
the / But I drede and doubte sore my mayster /
whiche is vpon me / whiche constrayneth me to
fulfylle his wylle / ¶ And more I oughte to
drede and doubte hym more / than the / whiche
arte nought / and of no valewe ne myght /
¶ And thus men ought not to gette by ne
doubte[errata 1] them / whiche haue no myght ne that
ben of no valewe