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Beslabbed and Beclagged.



Capitulo xxxiiij. A fait parable of the Fox and the Wolf.

Said Dame Erswyn

my Lord
I pray you all hear how he can blow with all winds
and how fair brings he his matters forth

said the Wolf

thus has he brought me many time in scathe and hurt
he has once betrayed me to the She-Ape
my aunt
where I was in great dread and fear
for I left there almost my one ear
if the Fox will tell how it befell
I will give him the benefit thereof
for I can not tell it so well
but he shall scald me

said the Fox

well
I shall tell it without stammering
I shall say the truth
I pray you hearken me

he came into the wood
and complained to me
he had great hunger
for I saw him never so full
but he would always have more
I wonder where the meat comes
that he destroys
I see now on his countenance
he begins to groan with hunger
when I heard him so complain
I had pity on him
and I said I was also hungry
then went we half a day together
and found nothing
though whined he and cried
and said he might go no further
then espied I a great hole
standing in the midst of a field
thick with brambles
and I heard a rustling therein
I wist not what it was

said I

go therein
and look if there be anything
there for us
I wote well there is somewhat

said he

cousin
I would not creep into that hole
methinks there is some perilous thing
but I shall abide here
under this tree
if ye will go therein before
but come anon again
and let me know what thing is therein
ye can many a subtlety
and well help youself much better than I

see
my Lord the King
thus he made me
poor wight
go before in danger
and he
which is great
long and strong
abode without
and rested him in peace
await if I did not for him there
I would not suffer the dread and fear
I there suffered for all the goods on earth
but if I wist how to escape
I went hardily in
I found the way dark
long and broad
ere I right in the whole came
so espied I a great light
which came in from one side
there lay a great ape with two great wide eyes
and they glymmed as fire
and she had a great mouth
with large teeth
and sharp nails on her feet
and on her hands
I thought it a marmouset
a baboon or a monkey
for I saw never fouler beast
and by her lay three of her children
which were right foul
for they were right like the mother
when they saw me come
they gaped wide at me
and were all still

I was afraid
and would well I had been thence
but I thought 
I am therein
I must there through
and come out as well as I may
as I saw her
methought she seemed more than Ysegrym the Wolf
and her children were more than I
I saw never a fouler household
they lay on foul hay
which was all befouled
they were beslabbed and beclagged 
to their ears in their own dung
it stank 
that I was almost smothered thereof
I dare not say but good
and then I said

aunt
God give you good day
and all my cousins
your fair children
they be of their age the fairest
that ever I saw
o Lord God!
how well please they me
how lovely
how fair be they
each of them for their beauty
might be a great king's son
of right we ought to thank you
that ye thus increase our lineage
dear aunt
when I heard say
ye were delivered and laid down
I could no longer abide
but must come and friendly visit you
I am sorry I had not erst known it

said she

Reynard 
cousin
ye be welcome
for ye have found me
and thus come see me
I thank you
dear cousin
ye be right true
and named right wise
in all landes
and also ye gladly further
and bring your lineage
in great worship
ye must teach my children
with yours
some wisdom
that they may know
what they shall do and leave
I have thought on you
for gladly ye go 
and fellowship with the good

o how well was I pleased
when I heard these words
this deserved I at the beginning
when I called her aunt
howbeit she was nothing kin to me
for my right aunt is Dame Rukenawe
that yonder stands
who is wont to bring forth wise children

I said

aunt
my life
and my good is at your commandment
and what I may do for you
by night and by day
I will gladly teach them all I can

I would fain be thence for the stench of them
and also I had pity of the great hunger
that Isegrym had

I said

aunt
I shall commit you and your fair children to God
and take my leave
my wife shall think long after me

said she

dear cousin
ye shall not depart til ye have eaten
for if ye did
I would say ye were not kind
then stood she up
and brought me in an other hole
where as was much meat of harts and hinds
roes
pheasants
partridges
and much other venison
that I wondered from whence all this meat might come
and when I had eaten my belly full
she gave me a great piece of a hind for to eat
with my wife and with my household
when I come home
I was ashamed to take it
but I might none otherwise do
I thanked her
and took my leave
she bade me
I should come soon again
I said I would
and so departed thence merrily
that I so well had sped

I hasted me out
and when I came and saw Isegrym
which lay groaning
and I asked him how he fared

he said

nephew
all evil
for it is wonder I live
bring me any meat to eat
I die for hunger

though had I compassion for him
and gave him that I had
and saved him there his life
whereof then he thanked me greatly
howbeit he now owes me evil will

he had eaten this up anon

said he

then
Reynard
dear cousin
what found ye in that hole?
I am more hungry now 
than I was before
my teeth be now sharp to eat

I said 

uncle
haste you then lightly into that hole
ye shall find there enough
there lies my aunt with her children
if ye will spare the truth
and lie great lyings
ye shall have there all your desire
but
and ye say truth
ye shall take harm

my Lord
was not this enough said and warned?
whoso would understand it
all that he found he should say the contrary
but rude and plump beasts cannot understand wisdom
therefore hate they all subtle inventions
for they cannot conceive them
yet
nevertheless
he said he would go in
and lie so many lyings ere he should mishap
that all men should wonder at it
and so went forth into that foul stinking hole
and found the marmouset
she was like the devil's daughter
and on her children hung much flith
clotted in gobbets

cried he

alas!
me growls at these foul n-----s
come they out of hell?
men may make devils afraid of them
go and drown them
that evil mote they fare
I saw never fouler worms
they make all my hair stand right up

said she

Sir Ysegrym
what may I do thereti?
they be my children
and I must be their mother
what lies in your way?
whether they be foul or fair
they have you nothing cost
there has been on today before you
which was to them nigh kin
and was your better and wiser
and he said they were fair
who has sent you hither 
with these tidings?

said he

Dame
will ye wit
I will eat your meat
it is better bestowed on me
than on these foul wights

said she

there is no meat

said he

here is enough

and therewith he started with his head
toward the meat
and would have gone into the hole
where the meat was
but my aunt started up with her children
and ran to him with sharp long nails so sore
the blood ran over his eyes
I heard him cry sore and howl
but I know of no defence he made
but he ran fast out of the hole
and he was there scratched and bitten
and many a hole had they made in his coat and skin
his visage was all a blood
and almost he had lost his one eye
he groaned and complained to me sore

then asked I him
if he had well lied?

he said

I said like as I saw and found
and that was a foul bitch with many foul wights

said I

nay uncle
ye should has said
fair neice
how fare ye and your fair children
which be my well beloved cousins

the Wolf said

I had rather they were hanged
ere I that said

said I

yea uncle
therefore must ye receive such manner payment
it is better otherwhile to lie
than to say truth
they that be better
wiser and stronger than we be
have done so before us

see
my Lord the King
thus got he his red coif
now stands he all so simply
as he knew no harm
I pray you ask ye him
if it was not thus
he wa not far off
if I wote it well





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