A vox gon out of e wode go,Afingret so, at him wes wo;He nes neuere in none wiseAfingret erour half so swie.He ne hoeld nouer wey ne strete,5For him wes lo men to mete;Him were leuere meten one hen,en half anoundred wimmen.*.[W. & M. Than half an oundred.]He strok swie ouer-al,*.[W. & M. all.]So at he ofsei ane wal;10Wiinne e walle wes on hous,The wox wes ider swie wous;For he ohute his hounger aquenche,*.[W. & M. aquenche.]Oer mid mete, oer mid drunche.Abouten he biheld wel erne;15o eroust bigon e vox to erne.Al fort he come to one walle,And som er-of wes afalle,*.[W. & M. therof wes a-falle. And wes e wal ouer-al to-broke,*.[MS. to breke.]And on at er wes I-loke;*.[W. & M. i-loke.]20At e furmeste bruche at he fond,He lep in, and ouer he wond.o he wes inne, smere he lou,And er-of he hadde gome I-nou;*.[W. & M. i-nou.]For he com in wi-outen leue25Boen of haiward and of reue.On hous er wes, e dore wes ope,Hennen weren erinne I-crope,*.[W. & M. i-crope, MS. I crope.]Fiue, at make anne flok,And mid hem sat on kok.30e kok him wes flowen on hey,And two hennen him seten ney."Wox," quod e kok, "wat dest ou are?Go hom, crist e eue kare!Houre hennen ou dest ofte shome."35"Be stille, ich hote, a godes nome!"*.[MS. agodes.]Qua e wox, "sire chauntecler,ou fle adoun, and com me ner.I nabbe don her nout bote goed,I have leten ine hennen blod;40Hy weren seke ounder e ribe,at hy ne mitte non lengour libe.Bote here heddre were I-take;*.[W. & M. i-take, MS. I take.]at I do for almes sake.Ich haue hem letten eddre blod,45And e, chauntecler, hit wolde don goed.ou hauest at ilke ounder e splen,ou nestes neuere daies ten;For ine lif-dayes be al ago,*.[W. & M. a-go.]Bote ou bi mine rede do;50I do e lete blod ounder e brest,Oer sone axe after e prest.""Go wei," quod e kok, "wo e bi-go!ou hauest don oure kunne wo.Go mid an at ou hauest noue;55Acoursed be ou of godes moue!For were I adoun bi godes nome!Ich mite ben siker of ore shome*.[W. & M. owre.]Ac weste hit houre cellerer,*.[M. wiste.]at ou were I-comen her.*.[W. & M. i-comen, MS. I comen.]60He wolde sone after e onge,Mid pikes and stones and staues stronge;Alle ine bones he wolde to-breke;*.[MS. to breke.]ene we weren wel awreke."HE wes stille, ne spak namore,65Ac he wer aurst wel soree urst him dede more wo,en heuede raer his hounger do.Ouer-al he ede and sohvte;On auenture his wiit him brohute,70To one putte wes water inneat wes I-maked mid grete ginne.*.[W. & M. i-maked, MS. I maked.]Tuo boketes er he founde,at oer wende to e grounde,at wen me shulde at on opwinde,*.[W. & M. op|winde, M. omits on.]75at oer wolde adoun winde.*.[W. & M. a-doun.]He ne hounderstod nout of e ginne,He nom at boket, and lep erinne;For he hopede I-nou to drinke.*.[W. & M. i-nou, MS. I nou.]is boket biginne to sinke;*.[W. & M. beginneth.]80To late e vox wes biout,*.[W. & M. bi-out.]o he wes in e ginne I-brout.*.[W. & M. i-brout, MS. I brout.]I-nou he gon him bi-enche,*.[MS. bi enche.]Ac hit ne halp mid none wrenche;Adoun he moste, he wes erinne;-*.[W. & M. A-doun.]85I-kaut he wes mid swikele ginne.*.[W. & M. i-kaut.]Hit mite han iben wel his wille*.[W. & M. i-ben, MS. hani ben.]To lete at boket hongi stille.Wat mid serewe and mid drede, Al his urst him ouer-hede.*.[W. & M. over-hede, MS. ouer hede.]90Al us he com to e grounde,*.[W. & M. come.]And water I-nou er he founde.*.[W. & M. i-nou.]o he fond water, erne he dronk,Him oute at water ere stonk,For hit wes to-eines his wille.*.[MS. to eines.]95"Wo wore," qua e vox, "lust and wille,*.[W. & M. quath.]at ne can me to his mete!*.[M. con.]ef ich neuede to muchel I-ete,*.[W. & M. i-ete, MS. I ete.]is ilke shome neddi noue;Nedde lust I-ben of mine moue.*.[W. & M. i-ben, MS. I ben.]100Him is wo in euche londe,at is ef mid his honde.Ich am I-kaut mid swikele ginne,*.[W. & M. i-kaut, MS. I kaut.]Oer soum deuel me broute her-inne.I was woned to ben wiis,105Ac nou of me I-don hit hiis."*.[W. & M. i-don, MS. I don.]E vox wep, and reuliche bigan.er com a wolf gon after anOut of e depe wode bliue,For he wes afingret swie.110Noing he ne founde in al e nite,Wer-mide his honger aquenche mitte.*.[W., MS. Wer mide, W. & M. aquenche, M. Wer-mid e.] He com to e putte, ene vox I-herde;*.[W. & M. i-herde.]He him kneu wel bi his rerde,*.[W. & M. by.]For hit wes his neiebore,115And his gossip, of children bore.A-doun bi e putte he sat.Quod e wolf, "Wat may ben at*.[M. What.]at ich in e putte I-here?*.[W. & M. i-here.]Hertou cristine, oer mi fere?120Say me so, ne gabbe ou me nout,Wo haue e in e putte, I-brout?"*.[W. & M. i-brout.]e vox hine I-kneu wel for his kun,*.[W. & M. i-kneu, MS. I kneu.]And o eroust kom wiit to him;For he oute mid soumme ginne,125Him-self houpbringe, ene wolf erinne.Quod e vox, "Wo is nou ere?Ich wene hit is sigrim at ich here."*.[W. & M. Sigrim.]"at is so," e wolf sede,"Ac wat art ou, so god e rede?"130"A," quod e vox, "ich wille e telle;On alpi word ich lie nelle.Ich am reneuard, i frend,And if ich ine come heuede I-wend,*.[W. & M. i-wend.]Ich hedde so I-bede for e,*.[W. & M. i-bade.]135at ou sholdest comen to me." "Mid e?" quod e wolf, "War to?*.[W. & M. war-to.]Wat shulde ich ine e putte do?"Quod e vox, "ou art ounwiis,Her is e blisse of paradiis;140Her ich mai euere wel fare,Wi-outen pine, wiouten kare;Her is mete, her is drinke,Her is blisse wiouten swinke;Her nis hounger neuermo,145Ne non oer kunnes wo;Of alle gode her is I-nou."*.[W. & M. i-nou.]Mid ilke wordes e volf lou."Art ou ded, so god e rede,Oer of e worlde?" e wolf sede.150Quod e wolf, "Wenne storue ou,And wat dest ou ere nou?Ne be nout et re daies ago,*.[W. & M. a-go.]at ou and i wif also,And ine children, smale and grete,155Alle to-gedere mid me hete."*.[MS. to gedere.]"at is so," quod e vox,"Gode onk, nou hit is us,at ihc am to criste vend.Not hit non of mine frend.160I nolde, for al e worldes goed,Ben ine e worlde, er ich hem fondWat shuldich ine e worlde go,er nis bote kare and wo,And liuie in fule and in sunne?165Ac her be ioies fele cunne;*.[W. & M. joies.]Her be boe shep and get."e wolf haue hounger swie gret,For he nedde are I-ete;*.[W. & M. i-ete, MS. I ete.]And o he herde speken of mete,170He wolde bleeliche ben are.*.[W. & M. i-fere, MS. I fere.]"A!" quod e wolf, "gode I-fere,Moni goed mel ou hauest me binome;Let me adoun to e kome.*.[W. & M. a-doun.]And al ich wole e for-eue."*.[MS. for eue.]175"e," quod e vox, "were ou I-sriue,*.[W. & M. i-srive, MS. I sriue.]And sunnen heuedest al forsake,And to klene lif I-take,*.[W. & M. i take, MS. I take.]Ich wolde so bidde for e,at ou sholdest comen to me."180"TO wom shuldich," e wolfe sede,Ben I-knowe of mine misdede?*.[W. & M. i-knowe, MS. I knowe.]Her nis noing aliue,at me koue her nou sriue. ou hauest ben ofte min I-fere,*.[W. & M. i-fere, MS. I fere.]185Woltou nou mi srift I-here,*.[W. & M. i-here, WS. I here.]And al mi liif I shal e telle?""Nay," quod e vox, "I nelle.""Neltou," quod e wolf, "in ore,Ich am afingret swie sore;190Ich wot to nit ich wore ded,*.[W. & M. to-nit.]Bote ou do me somne reed.For cristes loue be mi prest."e wolf bey adoun his brest,*.[W. & H. a-doun.]And gon to siken harde and stronge.195"Woltou," quod e vox, "srift ounderfonge,*.[W. & M. ounderfonge.]Tel ine sunnen on and on,at er bileue neuer on.""Sone," quod e wolf, "wel I-faie,*.[W. & M. quad, MS. I fare, W. & M. i-faie.]Ich habbe ben qued al mi lifdaie;*.[W. & M. lif-daie.]200Ich habbe widewene kors,erfore ich fare e wors.A ousent shep ich habbe abiten,And mo, ef hy weren I-writen.*.[W. & M. i-writen, MS. I writen.]Ac hit me of-inke sore.*.[MS. of inke.]205Maister, shal I tellen more?" "e," quod e vox, "al ou most sugge,*.[W. & M. quad.]Oer elles-wer ou most abugge."*.[MS. elles wer.]"Gossip," quod e wolf, "foref hit me,Ich habbe ofte sehid qued bi e,210Men seide at ou on ine liueMisferdest mid mine wiue;Ich e aperseiuede one stounde,*.[W. & M. aperseivede.]And in bedde togedere ou founde.*.[W. & M. to-gedere.]Ich wes ofte ou ful ney,215And in bedde to-gedere ou sey.*.[MS. to gedere ou ley, M. sey.]Ich wende, al-so ore do,at ich I-seie were so,*.[W. & M. i-seie, MS. I seie.]And erfore ou were me lo;Gode gossip, ne be ou nohut wro."220"Vuolf," quod e vox him o,*.[W. & M. quad.]"Al at ou hauest her bifore I-do,*.[W. & M. i-do, MS. I do.]In ohut, in speche, and in dede,In euche oeres kunnes quede,Ich e foreue at isse nede."225"Crist e forelde!" e wolf seide."Nou ich am in clene liue,Ne recche ich of childe ne of wiue.Ac sei me wat I shal do,And ou ich may comen e to." 230"Do?" quod e vox. "Ich wille e lere.I-siist ou a boket hongi ere?*.[MS. I siist.]ere is a bruche of heuene blisse,Lep erinne, mid I-wisse,*.[W. & M. i-wisse, MS. I wisse.]And ou shalt comen to me sone."235Quod the wolf, "at is lit to done."He lep in, and way sumdel;at weste e vox ful wel.e wolf gon sinke, e vox arise;o gon e wolf sore agrise.*.[W. & M. agrise.]240o he com amidde e putte,e wolfe ene vox opward mette."Gossip," quod e wolf, "Wat nou?Wat hauest ou I-munt? weder wolt ou?"*.[W. & M. i-munt, MS. I munt.]"Weder, Ich wille?" e vox sede.245"Ich wille oup, so god me rede!And nou go doun, wi i meel,i biete wor wel smal.Ac ich am erof glad and blie,at ou art nomen in clene liue.250i soule-cnul ich wille do ringe,*.[W. & M. soul-cnul.]And masse for ine soule singe."e wrecche binee noing ne vind,Bote cold water, and hounger him bind;To colde gistninge he wes I-bede,*.[W. & M. i-bede, MS. I bede.]255Wroggen haue his dou I-knede.*.[W. & M. i-knede, MS. I knede.] e wolf in e putte stod,Afingret so at he ves wod.Inou he cursede at ider him broute;*.[MS. I nou.]e vox er of luitel route.260e put him wes e house ney,er freren woneden swie sley.o at hit com to e time,at hoe shulden arisen Ine,*.[W. & M. ime.]For to suggen here houssong,265O frere ere wes among,Of here slep hem shulde awecche,Wen hoe shulden idere recche.He seide, "Arise on and on,And kome to houssong heuereuchon."*.[M. hevere uchon.]270is ilke frere heyte ailmer;He wes hoere maister curtiler.He wes hofurst swie stronge;Rit amidward here houssongeAl-hone to e putte he hede;*.[W. & M. Alhone, MS. Al hone.]275For he wende bete his nede.He com to e putte, and drou,And e wolf wes heui I-nou.*.[W. & M. i-nou, MS. I nou.]e frere mid al his maine teySo longe at he ene wolf I-sey!*.[W. & M. i-sey, MS. I sey.]280For he sei ene wolf er sitte,He gradde, "e deuel is in e putte!" To e putte hy gounnen gon,Alle mid pikes and staues and ston,Euch mon mid at he hedde;285Wo wes him at wepne nedde.Hy comen to e putte ene wolf opdrowe;*.[W. & M. op-drowe.]o hede e wreche fomen I-nowe,*.[W. & M. i-nowe, MS. I nowe.]at weren egre him to sleteMid grete houndes, and to bete.290Wel and wroe he wes I-swonge,*.[W. & M. i-swonge, MS. I swonge.]Mid staues and speres he wes I-stounge.*.[W. & M. i-stounge, MS. I stounge.]e wox bicharde him, mid Iwisse,*.[W. & M. i-wisse, MS. I wisse.]For he ne fond nones kunnes blisse,Ne hof duntes foreuenesse. explicit.295