An Old English miscellany containing a bestiary, Kentish sermons, Proverbs of Alfred, religious poems of the thirteenth century,

Elephant

Natura elephantis.

Elpes arn in Inde riche, Line 604 on bodi borlic berges ilike; he to-gaddre gon o wolde, so sep ðat cumen ut of folde, and behinden he hem sampnen Line 608 ðanne he sulen oðre strenen; Oc he arn so kolde of kinde ðat no golsipe is hem minde, til he noten of a gres, Line 612 ðe name is mandragores, Siðen he bigeten on,

and two ger he ðer-mide gon. ðog he ðre hundred ger Line 616 on werlde more wuneden her, bigeten he neuermor non, [folio 9a] so kold is hem siðen blod and bon; ðanne ge sal hire kindles beren, Line 620 In water ge sal stonden, In water to mid side, ðat wanne hire harde tide, ðat ge ne falle niðer nogt, Line 624 ðat is most in hire ðogt, For he ne hauen no lið ðat he mugen risen wið. Hu he resteð him ðis der, Line 628 ðanne he walkeð wide, herkne wu it telleð her, for he is al unride. A tre he sekeð to fuligewis, Line 632 ðat is strong and stedefast is, and leneð him trostl[i]ke ðer-bi, ðanne he is of walke weri. ðe hunte haueð biholden ðis, Line 636 ðe him wille swiken, wor his beste wune is, to don hise willen; Sageð ðis tre and under-set, Line 640 o ðe wise ðat he mai bet, and hileð it wel ðat he it nes war, ðanne he makeð ðer-to char, him seluen sit olon, bihalt, Line 644 weðer his gin him out biwalt. [MS biwarlt.] ðanne cumeð ðis elp unride, and leneð him up on his side, slepeð bi ðe tre in ðe sadue, Line 648 and fallen boden so to-gaddre;

gef ðer is noman ðanne he falleð, he remeð and helpe calleð, remeð reufulike on his wise, Line 652 hopeð he sal ðurg helpe risen; [MS si-sen; margin ri[sen].] ðanne cumeð ðer on gangande, hopeð he sal him don ut standen, Fikeð and fondeð al his migt, Line 656 ne mai he it forðen no wigt; Ne canne [Read Ne can he.] ðan non oðer, oc [MS o; oc in the margin.] remeð mid his broðer, manie and mikle cume ðer sacande, [MS sacande, margin se[cande].] Line 660 wenen him on stalle maken, oc for ðe helpe of hem alle ne mai he cumen so on stalle; ðanne remen he alle a rem, Line 664 so hornes blast oðer belles drem, For here mikle reming rennande cumeð a gungling, raðe to him luteð, Line 668 his snute him under puteð, and mitte helpe of hem alle ðis elp he reisen on stalle; and tus [folio 9b] atbrested ðis huntes breid, Line 672 oðe wise ðat ic haue gu seid.

significacio.

Ðus fel adam ðurg a tre, vre firste fader, ðat fele we: Moyses wulde him reisen, Line 676 migte it no wigt forðen; After him prophetes alle migte her non him maken on stalle, on stalle, i seie, ðer he er stod, Line 680 to hauen heuenriche god.

he suggeden and sorgeden and weren in ðogt, wu he migten him helpen ovt; ðo remeden he alle onder [? wonder or on der.] steuene Line 684 alle hege up to ðe heuene, for here care and here calling hem cam to crist heuen king; he ðe is ai in heuene mikel, Line 688 wurð her man, and tus was litel, drowing ðolede in ure manhede, and tus adam he under-gede, reisede him up, and al mankin, Line 692 ðat was fallen to helle dim.