The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Other Aesop's/Fable 14
¶ The xiiij fable is of a yonge theef and of his moder
e whiche is not chastysed at the
begynnynge is euyll and peruers
at the ende / As hit appiereth by
this fable of a yonge child whiche
of his yongthe beganne to stele /
and to be a theef / And the theftys whiche he
maad / he broughte to his moder / and the moder
toke them gladly / & in no wyse she chastysed
hym / And after that he had done many theftys /
he was taken / and condempned to be hanged /
And as men ledde hym to the Justyce / his moder
folowed hym and wepte sore / And thenne the
child prayed to the Justyce / that he myght saye
one word to his moder / And as he approuched
to her / made semblaunt to telle her somme
wordes at her ere / & with his teeth he bote of
her nose / wherof the Justyce blamed hym / And
he ansuerd in this manere / My lordes ye haue
no cause to blame me therfore / For my moder is cause of my deth For yf she had wel chastysed
me / I had not come to this shame and vergoyne /
For who loueth wel / wel he chastyseth / And
therfore chastyse wel youre children / to thende /
that ye falle not in to suche a caas