The Two Dogs

1.09. de duobus canibus
Caxton: Of the two bytches
It is not good to byleue what flaterers and euyll men saye / for by theyr swete wordes / they deceyue the good folke / wherof Esope reherceth suche a fable / Ther was a bytche whiche wold lyttre and be delyuerd of her lytyl dogges / and came to the hows of another bytche / & prayd her by swete and fayre wordes that she wold lene to her a place for to lyttre her lytyll dogges / And this other lend to her / her bed and her hows wenynge to doo wel / And whan the bytche had lyttred her lytel dogges / the good bytche sayd to the other / that it was tyme that she shold goo and departe oute of her / And thenne the bytche and her yonge dogges ranne vpon the other / and boot and casted her oute of her owne hows / And thus for to haue doo well / grete dommage cometh ofte therfore /
And ofte the good men lese theyr goodes by the decepcion and flaterye of the peruers and euylle folke
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The Dog and the Other Dog

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

The Two Bitches

010. THE TWO BITCHES. A bitch, who was just ready to whelp, entreated another bitch to lend her her kennel, only till her month was up, and assured her that then she should have it again. The other very readily consented, and with a great deal of civility, resigned it to her immediately.
However, when the time was elapsed, she came and made her a visit, and very modestly intimated, that now she was up and well, she hoped she should see her abroad again; for that, really, it would be inconvenient for her to be without her kennel any longer, and therefore she told her she must be so free as to desire her to provide herself with other lodgings as soon as she could.
The lying-in bitch replied, that truly she was ashamed of having kept her so long out of her own house, but it was not upon her own account (for indeed she was well enough to go anywhere) so much as that of her puppies, who were yet so weak, that she was afraid they would not be able to follow her, and if she would be so good as to let her stay a fortnight longer, she should take it for the greatest obligation in the world.
The other bitch was so good-natured and compassionate as to comply with this request too: but at the expiration of the term came and told her positively that she must turn out, for she could not possibly let her be there a day longer. “Must turn out,” says the other, “we will see that; for I promise you unless you can beat me and my whole litter of whelps, you are never like to have anything more to do here.” [more info]

The Bitch and her Whelps

1.19. THE BITCH AND HER WHELPS. The fair words of a wicked man are fraught with treachery, and the subjoined lines warn us to shun them.
A Bitch, ready to whelp, having entreated another that she might give birth to her offspring in her kennel, easily obtained the favour. Afterwards, on the other asking for her place back again, she renewed her entreaties, earnestly begging for a short time, until she might be enabled to lead forth her whelps when they had gained sufficient strength. This time being also expired, the other began more urgently to press for her abode. “If” said the tenant, “you can be a match for me and my litter, I will depart from the place.” [more info]

The Bitch and her Puppies

1.18. THE BITCH AND HER PUPPIES.
Bad men have speeches smooth and fair,
Of which, that we should be aware,
And such designing villains thwart,
The underwritten lines exhort.
A Bitch besought one of her kin
For room to put her Puppies in:
She, loth to say her neighbour nay,
Directly lent both hole and hay.
But asking to be repossess’d,
For longer time the former press’d,
Until her Puppies gather’d strength,
Which second lease expired at length;
And when, abused at such a rate,
The lender grew importunate,
“The place,” quoth she, “I will resign
When you’re a match for me and mine.” [more info]

The Bitch and her Friend

02.07: THE BITCH AND HER FRIEND.
A bitch, that felt her time approaching,
And had no place for parturition,
Went to a female friend, and, broaching
Her delicate condition,
Got leave herself to shut
Within the other's hut.
At proper time the lender came
Her little premises to claim.
The bitch crawl'd meekly to the door,
And humbly begg'd a fortnight more.
Her little pups, she said, could hardly walk.
In short, the lender yielded to her talk.
The second term expired; the friend had come
To take possession of her house and home.
The bitch, this time, as if she would have bit her,
Replied, 'I'm ready, madam, with my litter,
To go when you can turn me out.'
Her pups, you see, were fierce and stout.
The creditor, from whom a villain borrows,
Will fewer shillings get again than sorrows.
If you have trusted people of this sort,
You'll have to plead, and dun, and fight; in short,
If in your house you let one step a foot,
He'll surely step the other in to boot.
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The Two Dogs

1.09. THE TWO DOGS. There was a dog who was about to give birth to a litter of puppies and came to the house of another dog and asked her with sweet and fair words to lend her a place where she could give birth to her puppies. And the other loaned her her bed and her house, wanting to do a kindness. And when the dog had given birth to her puppies, the good dog said to the other that it was time to go and leave her house. And then the dog and her young pups attacked the other dog and so threw her out of her own house.
Caxton: Ther was a bytche whiche wold lyttre and be delyuerd of her lytyl dogges / and came to the hows of another bytche / & prayd her by swete and fayre wordes that she wold lene to her a place for to lyttre her lytyll dogges / And this other lend to her / her bed and her hows wenynge to doo wel / And whan the bytche had lyttred her lytel dogges / the good bytche sayd to the other / that it was tyme that she shold goo and departe oute of her / And thenne the bytche and her yonge dogges ranne vpon the other / and boot and casted her oute of her owne hows. [more info]