Then did bespeak his parents dear,
"Have we not many maidens here,
Of country and acquaintance near,
For thee to love and like?" 20
"O no," quoth Samson presently,
"Not one so pleasant in my eye,
Whom I could find so faithfully
To fancy."
At length they granted their consent, 25
And so with Samson forth they went;
To see the maid was their intent,
Which was so fair and bright.
But as they were a-going there,
A lion put them in great fear, 30
Whom Samson presently did tear
In pieces.
When they were come unto the place,
They were agreed in the case;
The wedding day appointed was, 35
And when the time was come,
As Samson went for beauty's fees,
The lion's carcass there he sees,
Wherein a sort of honey bees
Had swarmed. 40
Then closely Samson went his way,
And not a word thereof did say,
Untill the merry feasting-day,
Unto the company.
"A riddle I will shew," quoth he; 45
"The meaning if you tell to me,
Within seven days I will give ye
Great riches.
"But if the meaning you do miss,
And cannot shew me what it is, 50
Then shall you give to me i-wiss
So much as I have said."
"Put forth the riddle then," quoth they,
"And we will tell it by our day,
Or we will lose, as thou dost say, 55
The wager."
"Then make," quoth he, "the total sum.
Out of the eater meat did come,
And from the strong did sweetness run;
Declare it, if you can." 60
And when they heard the riddle told,
Their hearts within them waxed cold,
For none of them could then unfold
The meaning.
Then unto Samson's wife went they, 65
And threatened her, without delay,
If she would not the thing bewray,
To burn her father's house.
Then Samson's wife, with grief and woe,
Desired him the same to shew,
And when she knew, she straight did go, 70
To tell them.
Then were they all full glad of this;
To tell the thing they did not miss;
"What stronger beast than a lion is? 75
What sweeter meat than honey?"
Then Samson answered them full round,
"If my heifer had not ploughed the ground,
So easily you had not found
My riddle. 80
Then Samson did his losses pay,
And to his father went his way:
[But while] with them he there did stay,
His wife forsook him quite,
And took another to her love, 85
Which Samson's anger much did move:
To plague them therefore he did prove
His cunning.
A subtle thought he then had found,
To burn their corn upon the ground; 90
Their vineyards he destroyed round,
Which made them fret and fume.
But when they knew that Samson he
Had done them all this injury,
Because his wife did him deny, 95
They killed her.