and bring my bones within the church;
for to him it is vouchsafed that in his time
I should be made known to men.' And the smith said to him;
' Oh, sir, Eadsige will not believe my words.'
Then said the bishop again; ' Let him go to my grave,
and draw up out of the coffin a ring;
and if the ring yield[1] at the first tug,
then shall he know for a truth that I have sent thee to him.
If the ring will not come up at his unaided tug,
then shall he in no-wise believe thy saying.
Say to him also afterwards, that he himself amend
his deeds and conduct according to his Lord's will,
and hasten with single mind to the eternal life.
Say eke to all men that so soon as they
open my grave, they shall there find
so valuable a hoard, that their precious gold
shall be nothing worth, compared with the aforesaid treasures.'
The holy Swithhun then vanished from the smith's [sight],
and the smith durst not tell this vision to any man,
not wishing to be looked upon as an untruthful messenger.
So then the holy man spoke to him again,
and yet a third time, and severely reproved him,
because he would not actively obey his commands.
Then however at last the smith went to his burial-place,
and took hold, though fearfully, of a ring,
and cried to God, saying these words;
'O Lord God, maker of all creatures,
grant to me, a sinful man, that I may pull up this ring
out of this lid, if he lieth here within,
who thrice spake unto me in a dream.'
- ↑ Lit. follows him.
