Of the wulf and of the sheepherd and of the hunter

4.03. De lupo et bubulco
Caxton: Of the wulf and of the sheepherd and of the hunter
Many folke shewe them self good by theyr wordes whiche are ful of grete fantasyes / As reherceth to vs thys fable of a wulf whiche fledde byfore the hunter / And as he fledde he mette with a sheepherd / to whome he said My frende I praye the that thow telle not to hym that foloweth me which wey I am gone / & the sheepherd said to hym haue no drede ne fere no thynge / For I shalle not accuse the / For I shalle shewe to hym another way / And as the hunter came / he demaunded of the sheepherd yf he had sene the wulf passe / And the sheepherd both with the heed and of the eyen shewed to the hunter the place where the wulf was / & with the hand and the tongue shewed alle the contrarye / And incontynent the hunter vnderstood hym wel / But the wulf whiche perceyued wel all the fayned maners of the sheepherd fled awey / And within a lytyll whyle after the sheepherd encountred and mette with the wulf / to whome he sayd / paye me of that I haue kepte the secrete / And thenne the wulf ansuerd to hym in this manere / I thanke thyn handes and the tongue / and not thyn hede ne thyn eyen / For by them I shold haue ben bytrayed / yf I had not fledde aweye /
And therfore men must not truste in hym that hath two faces and two tongues / for suche folk is lyke and semblable to the scorpion / the whiche enoynteth with his tongue / and prycketh sore with his taylle
[more info]

The Fox and the Woodcutter

123. THE FOX AND THE WOODCUTTER. You will find the fable in English on this page; scroll to see if there are multiple English versions. [more info]

The Fox and the Countryman

089. THE FOX AND THE COUNTRYMAN. A fox, being hard hunted, and having run a long chase, was quite tired; at last he spied a country fellow in a wood, to whom he applied for refuge, entreating that he would give him leave to hide himself in his cottage till the hounds were gone by. The man consented, and the fox went and covered himself up close in a corner of the hovel.
Presently the hunters came up, and inquired of the man if he had seen the fox. “No,” says he, “I have not seen him indeed,” but all the while he pointed with his finger to the place where the fox was hid. However, the hunters did not understand him, but called off their hounds, and went another way.
Soon after, the fox, creeping out of his hole, was going to sneak off; when the man, calling after him, asked him if that was his manners to go away without thanking his benefactor, to whose fidelity he owed his life?
Reynard, who had peeped all the while, and seen what passed, answered, “I know what obligations I have to you well enough; and I assure you, if your actions had been but agreeable to your words, I should have endeavoured, however incapable of it, to have returned you suitable thanks.” [more info]

The Fox and the Countryman

2.19. THE FOX AND THE COUNTRYMAN. A Fox being hard hunted, and having run a long chase, was quite tired. At last he spied a country fellow in a wood, to whom he applied for refuge, entreating that he would give him leave to hide himself in his cottage, till the hounds were gone by. The man consented, and the Fox went and covered himself up close in a corner of the hovel. Presently the hunters came up, and inquired of the man, if he had seen the Fox. No, says he, I have not seen him indeed: but all the while he pointed with his finger to the place where the Fox was hid. However, the hunters did not understand him, but called off their hounds, and went another way. Soon after, the Fox, creeping out of his hole, was going to sneak off; when the man, calling after him, asked him, if that was his manners, to go away without thanking his benefactor, to whose fidelity he owed his life. Reynard, who had peeped all the while and seen what passed, answered, I know what obligations I have to you well enough; and I assure you, if your actions had but been agreeable to your words, I should have endeavoured, however incapable of it, to have returned you suitable thanks.
MORAL. To appear in another's interest, while underhand we are giving intelligence to their enemies, is treacherous, knavish, and base. [more info]

The Fox and the Woodcutter

131. THE FOX AND THE WOOD-CUTTER. A FOX, running before the hounds, came across a Woodcutter felling an oak and begged him to show him a safe hiding-place. The Woodcutter advised him to take shelter in his own hut, so the Fox crept in and hid himself in a corner. The huntsman soon came up with his hounds and inquired of the Woodcutter if he had seen the Fox. He declared that he had not seen him, and yet pointed, all the time he was speaking, to the hut where the Fox lay hidden. The huntsman took no notice of the signs, but believing his word, hastened forward in the chase. As soon as they were well away, the Fox departed without taking any notice of the Woodcutter: whereon he called to him and reproached him, saying, “You ungrateful fellow, you owe your life to me, and yet you leave me without a word of thanks.” The Fox replied, “Indeed, I should have thanked you fervently if your deeds had been as good as your words, and if your hands had not been traitors to your speech.” [more info]