Cursor mundi (The cursur o the world). A Northumbrian poem of the XIVth century in four versions. Ed. by the Rev. Richard Morris ...

The wonderful Childhood of Christ.

Sone was ioseph redi boune, Line 11595 wit naghtertale he went of toune, wid mari mild and þair meygne,— A maydin and þair swaines thre, þat seruid in þair seruise; Line 11599 wid þam was nane bot war and wise

Forth scho rade, þat mayden milde, And in hir arm scho led hir childe, Till þai come till a coue þat was depe, þar þai þoght to rest and slepe, Line 11604 þar did þai mari for to light, Bot sone þai sau an vgli sight. Als þai lokid þaim bi-side, vte of þis coue þan sau þai glide Mani dragonis sodaynli, [folio 79a:2] Line 11609 þe suaines þan bi-gan to cri. Quen iesus sau þaim glopend be, He lited of his modir kne, And stod apon þe bestis grim, Line 11613 And þai þaim louted vnder him. þan come þe prophecie all clere, To dede þat said es in þe sautere, "ȝe dragones wonand in ȝur coue þe lauerd au ȝe worthi to loue." Line 11618

Iesu went bi-for þaim þan, For-bedd þaim harm do ani man. Mari and ioseph ne for-þi For þe child war ful dreri, Line 11622 Bot iesu ansuerd þaim on-ane, "For me drede nu haue ȝe nane, Ne haue ȝe for me na site, For i am man all parfite, Line 11626 And all þe bestes þat ar wild, For me most worth tame and mild."