The fables of Aesop by William Caxton (Jacobs)/Vol. II/Liber Tertius/Fable 12
¶ The xij fable is of the serpent
He Auctor that is to wete Esope
reherceth to vs suche a fable of
two euyls / sayeng that a serpent
entryd som tyme within the forge
of a smythe / for to serche somme
mete for her dyner / It happed / that she fond a
fyle whiche she beganne to gnawe with her
teethe / Thenne sayd the fyle to her / yf thow
byte and gnawe me / yet shalt thow doo to me
no hurte / but bytynge and gnawyng on me /
thow shalt hurte thyn owne self / For by my
strengthe alle the yron is planed by me / And
therfore thow arte a foole to gnawe me / For
I telle the / that none euyll may hurte ne adommage another as euylle as he / Ne none wycked
may hurte another wycked / ne also the hard
ageynst the hard shalle not breke eche other /
ne two enuyous men shal not both ryde vpon an
asse / wherfor the myghty and stronge must loue
hym whiche is as myghty and as strong as hym
self is