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

[How Jesus pulled the Short Tree Long.]

Ioseph was a parti wriȝt Plowȝe & harwe coude he diȝt Treen beddes was he wont to make And þerfore his seruyse take Line 12390 A mon coom to him in þat sted To haue made a treen bed

þat shulde in lengþe þre ellen haue Line 12393 And Ioseph bad þo to his knaue þat he shulde him tymber felle [folio 77b:1] And he þe mesure gon him telle Þe knaue þat þis tymber fet Line 12397 helde not redily his met Ouer short he brouȝt a tre whenne Ioseph coom him for to se Line 12400 For short miȝt hit not geyne Doun he hit leide & toke aȝeyne whenne ihesu him sey so bisy to be Aboute þat ilke for seide tre Line 12404 Ioseph he seide to me þou shawe þe on ende þerof for to drawe Take þou þe oþere for I hete þe We wol hit lengþe a quantite Line 12408 þis tre drowȝe þei hem bitwene Soone was þere a maistry sene Þat furst was short & wolde not be Þo was hit longe ynouȝe to se Line 12412 Þenne fond Ioseph of lettyng nouȝt But at his wille his werke he wrouȝt