The Monkey and the Fox

3.17. De simio et vulpe
Caxton: Of the Ape and of the foxe
Of the poure and of the Ryche Esope reherceth suche a fable / Of an ape / whiche prayd the foxe to gyue hym somme of his grete taylle for to couere his buttoks therwith / sayenge thus to hym / what auaylleth to the soo long a taylle / hit doth but wagge / And that whiche letteth the / shalle be prouffitable and good for me / The foxe said to hym I wold that hit were yet lenger / For rather I wold see hit al to fowled and dagged / than hit shold bere to yow suche honour / as to couere thy fowle buttoks therwith /
And therfore gyue thou not that thynge of whiche thow hast nede of / to the ende that afterward thow myster not of hit
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The Monkey and the Fox

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

The Ape and the Fox

123. THE APE AND THE FOX. The ape, meeting the fox one day, humbly requested him to give him a piece of his fine long brush tail to cover his poor naked backside, which was so exposed to all the violence and inclemency of the weather; “for,” says he, “Reynard, you have already more than you have occasion for, and a great part of it even drags along in the dirt.”
The fox answered, that as to his having too much, that was more than he knew; but, be it as it would, he had rather sweep the ground with his tail as long as he lived, than deprive himself of the least bit to cover the ape's nasty stinking posteriors. [more info]

The Ape and the Fox

028. THE APE AND THE FOX. The ape, meeting the fox one day, humbly requested him to give him a piece of his fine long brush tail to cover his poor naked backside, which was so exposed to all the violence and inclemency of the weather; “for,” says he, “Reynard, you have already more than you have occasion for, and a great part of it even drags along in the dirt.”
The fox answered, that as to his having too much, that was more than he knew; but, be it as it would, he had rather sweep the ground with his tail as long as he lived, than deprive himself of the least bit to cover the ape's nasty stinking posteriors. [more info]

The Ape and Fox

028. THE APE AND FOX.
The Ape implord, the fox her bum woud vaile
With a proportion of his useless Taile,
But he replyd — tho me no good it do
I will not spare an Inch to favour you.
Morall
Thus the Ill naturd Rich reserve their store
And please themselves to see their neighbours poor.
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