from The Cock and the Fox

Thocht brutall beistis be irrationall –
That is to say, wantand discretioun –
Yet ilk ane in thair kynd naturall
Hes mony divers inclinatioun:
The bair busteous, the wolf, the wylde lyoun,
The fox feinyeit, craftie and cawtelows,
The dog to bark on nicht and keip the hows.

So different thay ar in properties,
Unknawin to man, and sa infinite,
In kynd havand sa fell diversiteis,
My cunning it excedis for to dyte.
For thy as now I purpose for to wryte
Ane cais I fand, quhilk fell this ather yeir
Betwix ane foxe and ane gentill Chantecleir.

Ane wedow dwelt in till ane drop thay dayis
Quhilk wan hir fude of spinning on hir rok
And na mair had, forsuth, as the fabill sayis,
Except of hennis scho had ane lytill flok;
And thame to keip scho had ane jolie cok,
Richt curageous, that to this wedow ay
Devydit nicht and crew befoir the day.

Ane lytill fra this foirsaid wedowis hows
Ane thornie schaw thair wes of grit defence,
Quhairin ane foxe, craftie and cautelous,
Maid his repair and daylie residence,
Quhilk to this wedow did grit violence
In pyking of pultrie baith day and nicht,
And na way be revengit on him scho micht.

This wylie tod, quhen that the lark couth sing,
Full sair hungrie unto the toun him drest
Quhair Chantecleir, in to the gray dawing
Werie for nicht, wes flowen fra his nest.
Lowrence this saw and in his mind he kest
The jeperdie, the wayis and the wyle,
Be quhat menis he micht this cok begyle …