Caxton's translation (1484)
Of the panthere and of the vylayns
Every one ought to do wel to the straunger and forgyue to the myserable / As reherceth this fable of a panthere whiche fylle in to a pytte / And when the vylayns or chorles of the countrey sawe her / somme of them beganne to smyte on her / and the other sayd pardonne and forgyue her / for she hath hurted no body / and other were that gaf to her breed / And another sayd to the vylayns / beware ye wel that ye slee her not / And by cause that they were al of dyuerse wyll / euerychone of them wente and retorned home ageyne wenynge that she shold deye within the sayd pytte / but lytyl and lytyl she clymmed vp / and wente to her hows ageyne / and made her to be wel medecyned / in so moche / that soone she was al hole / And within a whyle after she hauynge in her memorye the grete Iniurye that had be done to her came ageyne to the place where she had be hurte and sore bete / & began to kylle & slee al the bestes whiche were there about & put al the sheepherds and swyneherds & other whiche kepte beestes all to flyght / she brente the Corne / & many other euyl and grete harme she dyd there aboute / And whanne the folke of the countrey sawe the grete dommage that she dyd to them / they came toward her / prayenge that she wold haue pyte on them / And to them she ansuerd in this manere / I am not come hyther to take vengeaunce on them whiche haue had pyte and myserycorde of me / but only on them that wold haue slayne me /
And for the wycked and euylle folk I recyte this fable / to thende that they hurte no body / For yf alle the vylaynes hadde hadde pyte / the one as the other of the poure panthere or serpent whiche was straunger and myserable / as moche as she was fallen in to the pytte / the forsayd euylle and dommage had not come to them
Townsend's translation (1887)
The Panther and the Shepherds
A Panther, by some mischance, fell into a pit. The Shepherds discovered him, and some threw sticks at him and pelted him with stones, while others, moved with compassion towards one about to die even though no one should hurt him, threw in some food to prolong his life. At night they returned home, not dreaming of any danger, but supposing that on the morrow they would find him dead. The Panther, however, when he had recruited his feeble strength, freed himself with a sudden bound from the pit, and hastened to his den with rapid steps. After a few days he came forth and slaughtered the cattle, and, killing the Shepherds who had attacked him, raged with angry fury. Then they who had spared his life, fearing for their safety, surrendered to him their flocks and begged only for their lives. To them the Panther made this reply: "I remember alike those who sought my life with stones, and those who gave me food aside, therefore, your fears. I return as an enemy only to those who injured me."
