This sely[400] widow, and eke her daughters two, Hearden these hennes cry and maken woe, And out at doores starten they anon, And saw the fox toward the grove gon, And bare upon his back the cock away: They crieden, "Out! harow and welawa! Ha, ha! the fox!" and after him they ran, And eke with staves many another man; Ran Coll our dog, and Talbot, and Garland, And Malkin with a distaff in her hand; Ran cow and calf, and eke the very hogges, So were they feared for barking of the dogges, And shouting of the men and women eke, They rannen so, hem thought hir hearte breke.[401] They yelleden as fiendes do in hell: The duckes crieden as men would hem quell: The geese for feare flewen o'er the trees, Out of the hive came the swarm of bees, So hideous was the noise, a! _ben'cite!_ Certes he Jacke Straw, and his meyne,[402] Ne maden never shoutes half so shrill, When that they woulden any Fleming kill, As thilke day was made upon the fox. Of brass they broughten beames[403] and of box, Of horn and bone, in which they blew and pooped,[404] And therewithal they shrieked and they hooped[405], It seemed as that heaven shoulde fall. Now, goode men, I pray you hearkeneth all; Lo, how Fortune turneth suddenly The hope and pride eke of her enemy. This cock that lay upon the fox's back, In all his dread, unto the fox he spake, And saide, "Sir, if that I were as ye, Yet would I say, as wis[406] God helpe me, 'Turneth again, ye proude churles all; A very pestilence upon you fall! Now am I come unto the woodes side, Maugre your head, the cock shall here abide: I will him eat in faith, and that anon.'" The fox answered, "In faith, it shall be done:" And as he spake that word, all suddenly This cock brake from his mouth deliverly,[407] And high upon a tree he flew anon. And when the fox saw that he was ygone, "Alas!" quoth he, "O Chanticleer, alas! I have to you," quoth he, "ydone trespass, Inasmuch as I maked you afeard, When I you hent,[408] and brought out of the yard; But, sir, I did it of no wicke[409] intent: Come down, and I shall tell you what I meant. I shall say sooth to you, God help me so." "Nay then," quoth he, "I shrew[410] us bothe two. And first I shrew myself, both blood and bones, If thou beguile me any ofter than ones. Thou shalt no more through thy flattery Do[411] me to sing and winken with mine eye. For he that winketh when he shoulde see, All willfully, God let him never the[412]!" "Nay," quoth the fox, "but God give him mischance, That is so indiscreet of governance, That jangleth[413] when he shoulde hold his peace." Lo, such it is for to be reckeless And negligent, and trust on flattery. But ye that holden this tale a folly, As of a fox, or of a cock and hen, Take the morality thereof, good men. For Saint Paul saith, That all that written is, To our doctrine it is ywrit ywis,[414]