Anonymous: The Fox and Wolf in the Well (1 820 words)

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1

THE FOX AND WOLF IN THE WELL


2
3

OF ÞE VOX AND OF ÞE WOLF


4

5A vox gon out of þe wode go,
6Afingret so, þat him wes wo;
7He nes neuere in none wise
8Afingret erour half so swiþe.
9He ne hoeld nouþer wey ne strete,
10For him wes loþ men to mete;
11Him were leuere meten one hen,
12Þen half anoundred wimmen.
13He strok swiþe ouer-al,
14So þat he ofsei ane wal;
15Wiþinne þe walle wes on hous,
16The wox wes þider swiþe wous;
17For he þohute his hounger aquenche,
18Oþer mid mete, oþer mid drunche.
19Abouten he biheld wel ȝerne;
20Þo eroust bigon þe vox to erne.
21Al fort he come to one walle,
22And som þer-of wes afalle,

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23And wes þe wal ouer-al to-broke,
24And on ȝat þer wes I-loke;
25At þe furmeste bruche þat he fond,
26He lep in, and ouer he wond.
27Þo he wes inne, smere he lou,
28And þer-of he hadde gome I-nou;
29For he com in wiþ-outen leue
30Boþen of haiward and of reue.
31

32On hous þer wes, þe dore wes ope,
33Hennen weren þerinne I-crope,
34Fiue, þat makeþ anne flok,
35And mid hem sat on kok.
36Þe kok him wes flowen on hey,
37And two hennen him seten ney.

38"Wox," quod þe kok, "wat dest þou þare?
39Go hom, crist þe ȝeue kare!
40Houre hennen þou dest ofte shome."

41"Be stille, ich hote, a godes nome!"
42Quaþ þe wox, "sire chauntecler,
43Þou fle adoun, and com me ner.
44I nabbe don her nout bote goed,
45I have leten þine hennen blod;
46Hy weren seke ounder þe ribe,
47Þat hy ne miȝtte non lengour libe.

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48Bote here heddre were I-take;
49Þat I do for almes sake.
50Ich haue hem letten eddre blod,
51And þe, chauntecler, hit wolde don goed.
52Þou hauest þat ilke ounder þe splen,
53Þou nestes neuere daies ten;
54For þine lif-dayes beþ al ago,
55Bote þou bi mine rede do;
56I do þe lete blod ounder þe brest,
57Oþer sone axe after þe prest."

58"Go wei," quod þe kok, "wo þe bi-go!
59Þou hauest don oure kunne wo.
60Go mid þan þat þou hauest nouþe;
61Acoursed be þou of godes mouþe!
62For were I adoun bi godes nome!
63Ich miȝte ben siker of oþre shome
64Ac weste hir houre cellerer,
65Þat þou were I-comen her.
66He wolde sone after þe ȝonge,
67Mid pikes and stones and staues stronge;
68Alle þine bones he wolde to-breke;
69Þene we weren wel awreke."

70

71He wes stille, ne spak namore,
72Ac he werþ aþurst wel sore;

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73Þe þurst hem dede more wo,
74Þen heuede raþer his hounger do.
75Ouer-al he ede and sohvte;
76On auenture his wiit him brohute,
77To one putte wes water inne
78Þat wes I-maked mid grete ginne.
79Tuo boketes þer he founde,
80Þat oþer wende to þe grounde,
81Þat wen me shulde þat on opwinde,
82Þat oþer wolde adoun winde.
83He ne hounderstod nout of þe ginne,
84He nom þat boket, and lep þerinne;
85For he hopede I-nou to drinke.
86Þis boket biginneþ to sinke;
87To late þe vox wes biþout,
88Þo he wes in þe ginne I-brout.
89I-nou he gon him bi-þenche,
90Ac hit ne halp mid none wrenche;
91Adoun he moste, he wes þerinne;
92I-kaut he wes mid swikele ginne.
93Hit miȝte han iben wel his wille
94To lete þat boket hongi stille.
95Wat mid serewe and mid drede,

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96Al his þurst him ouer-hede.
97Al þus he com to þe grounde,
98And water I-nou þer he founde.
99Þo he fond water, ȝerne he dronk,
100Him þoute þat water þere stonk,
101For hit wes to-ȝeines his wille.

102"Wo worþe," quaþ þe vox, "lust and wille,
103Þat ne can meþ to his mete!
104Ȝef ich neuede to muchel I-ete,
105Þis ilke shome neddi nouþe;
106Nedde lust I-ben of mine mouþe.
107Him is wo in euche londe,
108Þat is þef mid his honde.
109Ich am I-kaut mid swikele ginne,
110Oþer soum deuel me broute her-inne.
111I was woned to ben wiis,
112Ac nou of me I-don hit hiis."

113

114Þe vox wep, and reuliche bigan.
115Þer com a wolf gon after þan
116Out of þe depe wode bliue,
117For he wes afingret swiþe.
118Noþing he ne founde in al þe niȝte,
119Wer-mide his honger aquenche miȝtte.

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120He com to þe putte, þene vox I-herde;
121He him kneu wel bi his rerde,
122For hit wes his neiȝebore,
123And his gossip, of children bore.
124A-doun bi þe putte he sat.

125Quod þe wolf, "Wat may ben þat
126Þat ich in þe putte I-here?
127Hertou cristine, oþer mi fere?
128Say me soþ, ne gabbe þou me nout,
129Wo haueþ þe in þe putte, I-brout?"

130Þe vox hine I-kneu wel for his kun,
131And þo eroust kom wiit to him;
132For he þoute mid soumme ginne,
133Him-self houpbringe, þene wolf þerinne.

134Quod þe vox, "Wo is nou þere?
135Ich wene hit is sigrim þat ich here."

136"Þat is soþ," þe wolf sede,
137"Ac wat art þou, so god þe rede?'

138

139"A," quod þe vox, "ich wille þe telle;
140On alpi word ich lie nelle.
141Ich am reneuard, þi frend,
142And ȝif ich þine come heuede I-wend,
143Ich hedde so I-bede for þe,
144Þat þou sholdest comen to me."

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145"Mid þe?" quod þe wolf, "War to?
146Wat shulde ich ine þe putte do?"

147Quod þe vox, "Þou art ounwiis,
148Her is þe blisse of paradiis;
149Her ich mai euere wel fare,
150Wiþ-outen pine, wiþouten kare;
151Her is mete, her is drinke,
152Her is blisse wiþouten swinke;
153Her nis hounger neuermo,
154Ne non oþer kunnes wo;
155Of alle gode her is I-nou."

156Mid þilke wordes þe volf lou.

157

158"Art þou ded, so god þe rede,
159Oþer of þe worlde?" þe wolf sede.
160Quod þe wolf, "Wenne storue þou,
161And wat dest þou þere nou?
162Ne beþ nout ȝet þre daies ago,
163Þat þou and þi wif also,
164And þine children, smale and grete,
165Alle to-gedere mid me hete."

166"Þat is soþ," quod þe vox,
167"Gode þonk, nou hit is þus,
168Þat ihc am to criste vend.
169Not hit non of mine frend.
170I nolde, for al þe worldes goed,
171Ben ine þe worlde, þer ich hem fond.

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172Wat shuldich ine þe worlde go,
173Þer nis bote kare and wo,
174And liuie in fulþe and in sunne?
175Ac her beþ ioies fele cunne;
176Her beþ boþe shep and get."

177Þe wolf haueþ hounger swiþe gret,
178For he nedde ȝare I-ete;
179And þo he herde speken of mete,
180He wolde bleþeliche ben þare.

181"A!" quod þe wolf, "gode I-fere,
182Moni goed mel þou hauest me binome;
183Let me adoun to þe kome.
184And al ich wole þe for-ȝeue."

185"Ȝe," quod þe vox, "were þou I-sriue,
186And sunne heuedest al forsake,
187And to klene lif I-take,
188Ich wolde so bidde for þe,
189Þat þou sholdest comen to me."

190

191"To wom shuldich," þe wolfe seide,
192Ben I-knowe of mine misdede?
193Her nis noþing aliue,
194Þat me kouþe her nou sriue.

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195Þou hauest ben often min I-fere,
196Woltou nou mi srift I-here,
197And al mi liif I shal þe telle?"

198"Nay," quod þe vox, "I nelle."

199"Neltou," quod þe wolf, "þin ore,
200Ich am afingret swiþe sore;
201Ich wot to niȝt ich worþe ded,
202Bote þou do me somne reed.
203For cristes loue be mi prest."

204Þe wolf bey adoun his brest,
205And gon to siken harde and stronge.

206"Woltou," quod þe vox, "srift ounderfonge,
207Tel þine sunnen on and on,
208Þat þer bileue neuer on."

209

210"Sone," quod þe wolf, "wel I-faie,
211Ich habbe ben qued al mi lifdaie;
212Ich habbe widewene kors,
213Þerfore ich fare þe wors.
214A þousent shep ich habbe abiten,
215And mo, ȝef hy weren I-writen.
216Ac hit me of-þinkeþ sore.
217Maister, shal I tellen more?"

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218"Ȝe," quod þe vox, "al þou most sugge,
219Oþer elles-wer þou most abugge."

220"Gossip," quod þe wolf, "forȝef hit me,
221Ich habbe ofte sehid qued bi þe,
222Men seide þat þou on þine liue
223Misferdest mid mine wiue;
224Ich þe aperseiuede one stounde,
225And in bedde togedere ou founde.
226Ich wes ofte ou ful ney,
227And in bedde to-gedere ou sey.
228Ich wende, al-so oþre doþ,
229Þat ich I-seie were soþ,
230And þerfore þou were me loþ;
231Gode gossip, ne be þou nohut wroþ.'"

232

233"Vuolf," quod þe vox him þo,
234"Al þat þou hauest her bifore I-do,
235In þohut, in speche, and in dede,
236In euche oþeres kunnes quede,
237Ich þe forȝeue at þisse nede."

238"Crist þe forȝelde!" þe wolf seide.
239"Nou ich am in clene liue,
240Ne recche ich of childe ne of wiue.
241Ac sei me wat I shal do,
242And ou ich may comen þe to."

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243"Do?" quod þe vox. "Ich wille þe lere.
244I-siist þou a boket hongi þere?
245Þere is a bruche of heuene blisse,
246Lep þerinne, mid I-wisse,
247And þou shalt comen to me sone."

248Quod the wolf, "þat is liȝt to done."

249He lep in, and way sumdel;
250Þat weste þe vox ful wel.
251Þe wolf gon sinke, þe vox arise;
252Þo gon þe wolf sore agrise.
253Þo he com amidde þe putte,
254Þe wolfe þene vox opward mette.

255"Gossip," quod þe wolf, "Wat nou?
256Wat hauest þou I-munt? weder wolt þou?"

257"Weder, Ich wille?" þe vox sede.
258"Ich wille oup, so god me rede!
259And nou go doun, wiþ þi meel,
260Þi biȝete worþ wel smal.
261Ac ich am þerof glad and bliþe,
262Þat þou art nomen in clene liue.
263Þi soule-cnul ich wille do ringe,
264And masse for þine soule singe."

265Þe wrecche bineþe noþing ne vind,
266Bote cold water, and hounger him bind;
267To colde gistninge he wes I-bede,
268Wroggen haueþ his dou I-knede.

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269Þe wolf in þe putte stod,
270Afingret so þat he ves wod.
271Inou he cursede þat þider him broute;
272Þe vox þer of luitel route.
273Þe put him wes þe house ney,
274Þer freren woneden swiþe sley.
275Þo þat hit com to þe time,
276Þat hoe shulden arisen Ine,
277For to suggen here houssong,
278O frere þere wes among,
279Of here slep hem shulde awecche,
280Wen hoe shulden þidere recche.

281He seide, "Ariseþ on and on,
282And komeþ to houssong heuereuchon."

283Þis ilke frere heyte ailmer;
284He wes hoere maister curtiler.
285He wes hofþurst swiþe stronge;
286Riȝt amidward here houssonge
287Al-hone to þe putte he hede;
288For he wende bete his nede.
289He com to þe putte, and drou,
290And þe wolf wes heui I-nou.
291Þe frere mid al his maine tey
292So longe þat he þene wolf I-sey!
293For he sei þene wolf þer sitte,

294He gradde, "Þe deuel is in þe putte!"

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295To þe putte hy gounnen gon,
296Alle mid pikes and staues and ston,
297Euch mon mid þat he hedde;
298Wo wes him þat wepne nedde.
299Hy comen to þe putte þene wolf opdrowe;
300Þo hede þe wreche fomen I-nowe,
301Þat weren egre him to slete
302Mid grete houndes, and to bete.
303Wel and wroþe he wes I-swonge,
304Mid staues and speres he wes I-stounge.
305Þe wox bicharde him, mid Iwisse,
306For he ne fond nones kunnes blisse,
307Ne hof duntes forȝeuenesse.
    explicit.