The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Other Aesop's/Fable 9
¶ The ix fable is of the labourer and of the pyelarge
E whiche is taken with the wicked
and euyll ouȜte to suffre payne
and punycyon as they / As it
appiereth by this fable / Of a labourer
whiche somtyme dressyd
and sette his gynnes and nettes for to take the
ghees and the cranes / Whiche ete his corne / It
happed thenne that ones amonge a grete meyny
of ghees and cranes / he took a pyelarge / whiche
prayd the labourer in this maner / I praye the
lete me go / For I am neyther goos ne cranne
nor I am not come hyther for to do the ony
euylle[errata 1] / The labourer beganne thenne to lawhe /
and sayd to the pyelarge / ys thow haddest not be
in theyr felauship / thow haddest not entryd in to
my nettes / ne haddest not be taken / And by
cause that thow arte founde and taken with them /
thow shialt be punysshed as they shalle be Therfore
none ought to hold companye with the euylle
with oute he wylle suffre the punycion of them
whiche ben punysshed