The Ass and the Lionskin


7.04. De asino et pelle leonis
Caxton: Of the asse / and of the skynne of the Lyon
None ought not to gloryfye hym self of the goodes of other as recyteth this fable of an asse whiche somtyme fond the skynne of a lyon / the whiche he dyd & wered on hym / but he coude neuer hyde his eres therwith / & when he was / as he supposed wel arayed with the sayd skynne / he ranne in to the forest / And whanne the wyld beestes sawe hym come / they were so ferdfull that they alle beganne to flee / For they wend / that it had be the lyon / And the mayster of the asse serched and soughte his asse in euery place al aboute And as he had soughte longe / he thought that he wold go in to the forest for to see yf his asse were there / And as soone as he was entryd in to the forest / he mette with his asse arayed as before is sayd / but his mayster whiche had soughte hym longe sawe his erys / wherfore he knewe hym wel / and anone toke hym / and sayd in this manere / Ha a mayster asse / arte thow clothed with the skynne of the lyon / thow makest the bestes to be aferd / but yf they knewe the / as wel as I do / they shold haue no fere of the / but I ensure the / that wel I shalle bete the therfore / And thenne he toke fro hm the skynne of the lyon / and sayd to hym Lyon shalt thow be no more / but an asse shalt thow euer be / And his mayster tooke thenne a staf / and smote hym / soo that euer after he remembryd hym wel of hit /
and therfore he whiche auaunceth hym self of other mennes goodes is a very foole / for as men sayn comynly / he is not wel arayed not wel appoynted / whiche is clothed with others gowne / ne also it is not honeste to make large thonges of other mennes leder
[more info]

No comments:

Post a Comment