The Owl and the Nightingale (lines 1-100)

in a normalised Early Middle English (East Midland dialect c 1200)

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Ic was in a_ne sumer`e dale,

in a_ne swi_the de_gele hale,

i`he_rde ic ha_lden greate tale

an u_le and a_ne nihte`gale.

That plait was sti_f and stark and stra_ng, 5

sum hwi_le softe and lu_d ama_ng;

an eayther a`yean o_ther swal,

and le_t that ifele mo_d u_t al.

and eayther sayde of o_theres kiste

the alre-werste that hyo wiste: 10

and hu_re and hu_re of o_theres sa_nge

hi_ he_lden plaiding swi_the stra_nge.

The nihte`gale be`gan the spe_ce,

in a_ne hirne of a_ne breace,

and sat up a_ne fayere bo_ge, 15

- thear wearen abu_ten blostme i`no_ge,-

in a_ne faste thicke hegge

i`meng'd mid spi_re and gre_ne segge.

Hyo was the glader for the ri_se,

and sang a fele kinnes wi_se: 20

bet thuhte the dream that it weare

of harpe and pi_pe than it neare:

bet thuhte that it weare i`scoten

of harpe and pi_pe than of throte.

Tha_ sto_d on a_ld stock thear be`si_de, 25

thear the u_le sang hire ti_de,

and was mid i_fiy al be`gro_wen;

hit was the u_les earding-sto_we.

The nihte`gale hire i`sah,

and hire be`he_ld and ofer`sah, 30

and thohte wel fu_l of the u_le,

for me hire ha_ldeth la_thlic and fu_le.

"Un`wiht," hyo sayde, "a`wey thu_ fle_!

me is the wers that ic the_ se_.

I`wiss for thi_ne fu_le leate, 35

wel oft ic mi_ne sa_ng for`leate;

mi_n herte at`fle_th and fa_ldeth mi_n tunge,

hwanne thu_ art to_ me_ i`thrungen.

Me_ liste bet spitten thanne singen

of thi_ne fu_le yugelinge." 40

This u_le a`ba_d for hit was e_fen,

hyo ne mihte na_ leng be`leafen,

for hire herte was swa_ great

that wel ne_h hire fnast at`sceat,

and warp a word thear-after la_nge; 45

"Hu_ thincth the_ nu_ bi_ mi_ne sa_nge?

We_nst thu_ that ic ne cunne singen,

theh ic ne cunne of writelinge?

I`lo_me thu_ de_st me_ grame,

and sayst me_ ba_the te_ne and scame. 50

Yif ic the_ he_lde on mi_ne fo_te,

(swa_ hit be`ti_de that ic mo_te!)

and thu_ weare u_t of thi_ne ri_se,

thu_ scoldest singen an o_ther wi_se."

The nihte`gale yaf andswere: 55

"Yif ic me lo_ke with the bare,

and me_ sce_lde with the bleate,

ne recce ic noht of thi_ne threate;

yif ic me ha_lde in mi_ne hegge,

ne recce ic neafer' hwat thu_ segge. 60

Ic wa_t that thu_ art un`mi_lde

with hem that ne mugen fram the_ sce_lden;

and thu_ tu_kest mid wrathe and ifele,

hwear thu_ miht, ofer smale fugele.

Forthi_ thu_ art la_th to_ al fugel-kinnes, 65

and alle hi_ the_ dri_fen henene,

and the_ be`scri_ken and be`greaden,

and wel narewe the_ be`leaden;

and e_k for the selfe ma_se,

hire thankes, wolde the_ to_`toren. 70

thu_ art la_thlic to_ be`ha_lden,

and thu_ art la_th in maniye fa_lde;

thi_n bodiy is scort, thi_n swi_re is smal,

greatere is thi_n heafed than thu_ al;

thi_n e_gen be_n col-blake and bra_de, 75

riht swa_ hi_ wearen i`peint mid wa_de;

thu_ starest swa_ thu_ wille a`bi_ten

al that thu_ miht mid clifere smi_ten:

thi_n bile is sti_f and scarp and ho_ked,

riht swa_ an owel that is cro_ked; 80

thear-mid thu_ clakest oft and la_nge,

and that is a_n of thi_ne sa_nges.

Ak thu_ threatest to_ mi_ne fleasce,

mid thi_ne cliferes woldest me_ mascen.

the_ weare i`ki_nder to_ a_ne frogghe 85

snayles, mi_s, and fu_le wihtes,

ba_the thi_ne ki_nde and thi_ne rihte.

Thu_ sittest a`day and fle_gest a`niht,

thu_ cu_thest that thu_ art a_n un`wiht. 90

Thu_ art la_thlic and un`cleane,

bi_ thi_ne neste ic hit meane,

and e_k bi_ thi_ne fu_le bro_de,

thu_ fe_dest on hem a wel fu_l fo_de.

Wel wa_st thu_ that hi_ do_n thear`inne, 95

hi_ fu_len hit up to_ the cinne:

hi_ sitten thear swa_ hi_ be_n bisene.

Thear`bi_ men seggen a fore`bisene:

"Dehait habbe that ilke best

that fu_leth his a_gen nest." 100