Page:The Sources of Standard English.djvu/383

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
354
The Sources of Standard English.


æfter fyrste, syððan heo ifarene wæron, com þæt lond-­
            a time       after     they    gone
folc tó, þe þær to lafe þa w’æs, þær heoræ lafordes lic
                                left                         their               lord's corpse
buton heafde þa læg, and wurdon swiðe sarig for his
without   head          lay               were       right     sorry
slægie on mode, and hure þæt heo næfdon þæt heafod to
slaughter        mind          moreover                had not
þam bodige. Þa sæde ðe sceawere, þe hit ær iseah, þæt
                                                     beholder                erst   saw
þa flot-men hæfdon þæt heafod mid heom, and wæs him
                                                              with   them                to him it
iþuht, swa swa hit wæs ful soð, þæt heo hydden þæt
seemed        as                              true
heofod on þam holte. For-hwæga heo eoden þa endemes
                                             However                 went             at last
alle to þam wude, sæcende gehwær, geond þyfelas and
                                                    every where   through   shrubs
brymelas, gif heo mihten imeten þæt heafod. Wæs eac
                     if                              meet                                        eke
mycel wunder þæt an wulf wæs isend, þurh Godes
willunge, to biwærigenne þæt heafod, wið þa oðre deór,
                              guard                                 against             beasts
ofer dæg and niht. Heo eoden ða sæcende, and
           day         
cleopigende, swa swa hit iwunelic is þæt ða þe on wude
        calling                               customary          those that
gaþ oft: ‘Hwær eart þu nu gerefa?’ And him and-­
go                                              governor
swyrde þæt heafod: ‘Her, her, her.’ And swa ilome
                                                                               so    often
clypode andswarigende, oððet heo alle bicomen, þurh
                                                  until                        came
þa clypunge, him tó. Þa læg þe grægæ wulf þe bewiste
                                                                  gray                     guarded
þæt heafod, ant mid his twam fotum hæfde þæt heafod
                                                  two      feet