2

8

Bet thuhte the drem that he 2 were
Of harpe and pipe, than he2 nere,3
Bet thuhte that he2 were i-shote
Of harpe and pipe than of throte.
Tho stod on old stoc thar bi-side,
Thar tho ule song hire tide,'
And was mid ivi al bi-growe,
Hit was thare ule earding-stowe.
The nihtingale hi' i-seh.
And hi bi-heold and over-seh,10
And thuhte wel vule " of thare ule,
For me hi halt 12 lothlich 13 and fule.
"Unwiht,"
,"14 heo sede, "awei thu fleo!
Me is the wers 15 that ich the seo;
I-wis 16 for thine vule lete 17
Wel oft ich mine song for-lete; 18
Min heorte at-flith,19 and falt 20 mi tunge,
Wonne 2 thu art to me i-thrunge.
Me luste bet speten 23 thane singe,
Of thine fule gogelinge.'

25

22

Theos ule abod fort 26 hit was eve, Heo ne mihte no leng bileve,27

28

30

Vor hire heorte was so gret,"
That wel neh 29 hire fnast at-schet;
And warp 31
a word thar-after longe:
"Hu thincthe 32 nu bi mine songe?
Wenst 33 thu that ich ne cunne singe,
Theh 35 ich ne cunne 36 of writelinge? 3
I-lome 38 thu dest 39

me grame,*

34

40

37

30

40

That thine pipinge nis i-lich:1

Mi stefne is bold and noht un-orne,3 Heo is i-lich1 one grete horne,

And thin is i-lich' one pipe

Of one smale weode un-ripe.3
Ich singe bet than thu dest;

Thu chaterest so' doth on Irish prest.

Ich singe an eve, a rihte time,

8

And seoththe won 9 hit is bed-time,

The thridde sithe 10 at middelnihte,

And so ich mine song adihte "
Wone ich i-seo arise veorre 12
Other 13 dai-rim 14 other 15 dai-sterre.
Ich do god mid mine throte,
And warni men to heore note; 16
Ac 17 thu singest alle longe niht,
From eve fort 18 hit is dai-liht,
And evre lesteth thin o 19 song
So longe so the niht is longe,
And evre croweth thi wrecche crei,20
That he ne swiketh 21 niht ne dai;

320

330

340

350

3

6 where the

was not 7 in her turn 11 very foully 14 monster

4 it

15 I

4 it

5

10 despised

13 hateful

17

appearance

18 give up

20 fails 21 when 22 arrived 23 I feel

more like spitting 24 because of 25 screeching 26 waited

till

27 no longer wait 28 swollen 29 nigh

choked 31 threw

30 breath 32 how does it seem 33 thinkst 37 trilling though 36 know nothing 43 foot

as often

44

precisely

so may

it happen 45 46 bough 47 but 48 voice 49 lamenta53 sound 54 thinkest

anger may tion 50 terrible 51 55 harsh

52 true

1 that is not like thy piping

7 6 dost green

10 third time

11 ordain

one

as

8 afterwards

12 afar 13 either

17 but 18 till

22 dinnest

9 when

14 dawn

19 lasteth thy one 20 cry

28

23 where 24 dwellest

20

naught every mirth seem 34 unpleas

33

36

please very badly 32 bird's 35 if it lasts unto displeasure 38 true 39 lose 40 goodness 41 excess

ant

44

43 in winter welaway

45 in the

mayst

37 ruin

42 over-doing 46 woe 47 wrath

9

310

320

Be planted in min orcherd
Amang mi tres o paradise,
That thou and thai be of a prise;
Under thi rote thar es a spring,
I wil that ute the water wring; °
Mak us a well, for mine sake,
That all mai plente o water take."
Wit this stert 10 up the tre stedfast;
Under the rote a well " ute-brast,
Wit strand 12 suete,'
,13 and clere, and cald.
All dranc i-nogh, ilkan " that wald,15 330
Wit all the bestes in that place;

11

Thai loved ai Drightin of 10 his grace.

1 down 2 the top was even with the root 3 bowed every bough 5 who made it bow straighten thyself now 7 I will that 8 of one value, of equal dignity 9 burst 10 sprang spring 12 stream 13 sweet 14 each 15 would 16 praised ever the Lord for 17 a love rune (or letter) 18 of Christ's 19 begs me eagerly 20 her 21 make 22 whereby she 23 learn 24 an true 26 lover 28 could protect 29 will not 30 not at all 36 35 is not

one

25

27 men 31 refuse 32 will 33 here 34 mayst 37 in so many ways 38 fickle 39 ugly 40 weak 42 these nobles are passed away 46 the earth 47 they lie 48 wither

43

44 as

a race

1 false

45 breath