? hirt.

BALAAM'S ASS SPEAKS.

forð and narwere ðiſ aſſe him bar,
And ðe ðridde ſiðe wurð ðe angel war.
ðo ne migte ðes aſſe flen,
The angel went further, and stood in a narrow place,
3968 Ne he ne durſte forðere ten,
Oc fel ðor dun(.) ðan ðis was don,
and the ass fell down under Balaam,
Balaam it ſpureð and ſmit ðor-on;
And god vndede ðiſ aſſes muð,
who smote her with his staff.
3972 So ſoð it iſ(.) ſo it is ſelcuð.
Quuað ðiſ aſſe ðus wið vn-miðe,
"Qui betes ðu me ðis ðridde ſiðe?"
Quað balaam, "for ðu tregeſt me;
3976 Had ic an ſwerd, ic ſluge ðe."
God opened the mouth of the ass, and she spoke to her master.
So was ðis were to wunder brogt,
ðhog ðe aſſe ſpac, frigtede he nogt;
Nevertheless this infatuated man was not frightened.
ðe let god[[375]] him ðat angel ſen,
 [Fol. 77b.]
3980 wið ðe ſwerd dragen him agen.
Quað ðe angel, "ðin weige iſ me loð,
The angel tells Balaam,
ðor-fore am ic wið ðe ðuſ loð;[[376]]
If ðin aſſe ne were wið-dragen,
3984 Her ſuldes ðu nu wurðen ſlagen."
that but for the ass he would have slain him.
Quað balaam, "quane ic haue miſ-faren,
If ðu wilt, ic agen ſal charen."
The prophet offers to return.
"far forð," quað ðe angel, "oc loc ðe wel,
3988 for-bi min red, quað ðu non del."
He is cautioned by the angel.
forð-nam balaam, and balaac king
Cam him a-gen for wurðing,
Gaf him giftes of mikil priſ;
3992 And balaam ſeide him to wiſ,
"Sal ic non wurd[[377]] mugen forð-don,
Vten ðat god me leið on."
Balak entertains Balaam.
Balaac him leddede[[378]] heg on an hil,
3996 And .vii. alteres wrogte in his wil,
On ilc alter fier alðerneðer,
Balak causes seven altars to be built.
And ðor-on an calf and a weðer,
And he bad balaac ſtonden ðor-bi,
4000 And gede on-rum qui[[379]] bute for-ði,
On each altar was offered a bullock and a wether.

[375]

MS. goð.

[376]

wroð?

[377]

MS. wurð.

[378]