The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Liber Tertius/Fable 16
¶ The xvj fable maketh mencion of the handes / of the feet / and of the mans bely
Ow shalle one do ony good to another / the whiche can doo no
good to his owne self / as thow
mayst see by this fable / Of the
feet and of the handes / whiche
somtyme had grete[errata 1] stryf with the bely / sayenge /
Al that we can or may wynne with grete labour
thow etest it all / and yet thou doost no good /
wherfore thou shalt no more haue nothynge
of vs / and we shalle lete the deye for honger /
And thenne when the bely was empty and sore
hongry / she beganne to crye and sayd Alas I
deye for honger / gyue me somwhat to ete / and
the feet and handes sayd / thou getest no thynge
of vs / and by cause that the bely myght haue no
mete / the conduyts thorugh whiche the metes
passeth became smal and narowe / And within
fewe dayes after the feete and handes for the
feblenes whiche they felte wold thenne haue
guuen mete to the bely / but it was to late / for
the conduits were ioyned to gyder And therfore
the lymmes myght doo no good to other / that is to wete the bely / And he that gouerneth not
wel his bely withe grete payne he may hold the
other lymmes in theyr srengthe and vertue /
wherfore a seruaunt ought to serue wel his
mayster / to thende that his mayster hold and
kepe hym honestly / and to receyue and haue
good reward of hym / when his mayster shalle
see his feythfulnesse