CHAPTER I.
1 The Chronicles of Artemas, the scribe. 3 The state of the land of Eur. 4 Concerning Willi, who ruled over the men of Hu. 7 Concerning Mud, that was his son. 9 Mud encourageth the ambitions of his father. 19 And sendeth in unto him a certain wise man. 21 The parable of the oak tree. 26 And the interpretation thereof. 29 Willi maketh him a war.
The words of Artemas of the scribes that were in Lon in the land of En.
2 Of the things that were and of the things that were to be: concerning men and the things that men did do.
3 ¶ Now there was peace over all the land of Eur and amongst all the nations that abode there, it was a time of great content.
4 ¶ But Willi, who ruled over the men of Hu, was a crafty man and greedy, and his ways were devious.
5 And when he beheld the prosperity of the land and the industry of those that dwelt round about, and that they did live in peace, the one with the other, his heart grew black within him and his soul vomited envy.
6 Moreover, he was a proud man and ambitious withal. His covetousness was like unto a tree, that being planted in fertile ground, flourisheth mightily; and the independence of the peoples was as gall unto his vanity.
7 ¶ Now the son of Willi was a young man, and he was puffed out with pride and his mind was empty; in his living, he was vicious, and his name, it was Mud.
8 And when Mud saw that his father's soul was torn with the violence of his envy and that he coveted that which was not his, it rejoiced him exceedingly.