For if they do
what God forbiddeth
they shall
die.
for gef he don ðad[98] god for-bead,
ðat ſal hem bringen to ðo dead, 312
This I will without
delay bring
about to-day.
And ſal get ðis ilke dai,
ðor buten hunte if ic mai
[Fol. 7.]
I think that Eve
and I shall deprive
Adam of his
life."
Ic wene ðat ic and eue hiſe wif
ſulen adam bilirten of hiſe lif. 316
Ic wene ðat ic and eue
ſulen alle is bliſſe dreue."
Thus he thought,
and up he went,
and to the earth
he came.
Ðus he ðhogte, and up he ſteg,
And eſten[99] til dat[100] erð he teg, 320
He went into a
"worm" and told
Eve a tale.
Wente in to a wirme, and tolde eue a tale;
And ſenkede hire hure aldre bale.
"Eve," he said,
"what meaneth
it that a tree is
forbidden you,
"Eue," ſeide he, ðat neddre bold,
"Quat oget nu ðat for-bode o-wold, 324
ðat a tre gu forboden is,
a tree that surpasses
all others,
ðat ouer alle oðre bered p_ri_s?
for iſ fruit ſired mannes mood,
which shall teach
you evil and good,
To witen boðen iwel and good, 328
Sone ge it ðor-of hauen eten,
Al ge it ſulen witent[101] and nogt forgeten,
and make you as
wise as those who
dwell above in
heaven?"
And ben ſo wiſe alle euene
So ðo ðe wunen a-buuen i_n_ heuone." 332
When Eve saw
that it was fair
to the sight and
soft to the hand,
Ðanne ðogte eue on hire mod,
ðanne iſ tiſ fruit wel ſwiðe good,
fair on ſigðhe and ſofte on hond,
Of ðiſ fruit wile ic hauen fond. 336
she ate thereof,
and took some
and brought it to
Adam.
Su_m_ ghe ðer at, and ſu_m_ ghe nam,
And bar it to her fere adam;
So manie times ghe him ſcroðt,
[Fol. 7b.]
Q_u_eðer so him was lef or loðt, 340
for to forðen iſ fendes wil,
He ate that fruit
and did foolishly.
At he dat[100] fruit, and dede unskil;
Sone it was under breſt numen;
Then death's two
bonds came upon
them.