|
Ovyde, amonges othere thynges smale, |
| Seyde, Myda hadde under his longe heres |
| 960 | Growynge upon his heed two asses eres, |
| The whiche vice he hydde, as he best myghte, |
| Ful subtilly from every mannes sighte, |
| That, save his wyf, ther wiste of it namo. |
| He loved hire moost and trusted hir also; |
| 965 | He preyede hire, that to no creature |
| She sholde tellen of his disfigure. |
| She swoor him nay, for al this world to wynne, |
| She nolde do that vileynye or synne, |
| To make hir housbonde han so foul a name. |
| 970 | She nolde nat telle it for hir owene shame. |
| But nathelees, hir thoughte that she dyde, |
| That she so longe sholde a conseil hyde; |
| Hir thoughte it swal so soore aboute hir herte |
| That nedely som word hir moste asterte; |
| 975 | And sith she dorste telle it to no man, |
| Doun to a mareys faste by she ran, |
| Til she cam there, hir herte was a fyre, |
| And as a bitore bombleth in the myre, |
| She leyde hir mouth unto the water doun: |
| 980 | "Biwreye me nat, thou water, with thy soun," |
| Quod she, "to thee I telle it and namo, |
| Myn housbonde hath longe asses erys two! |
| Now is myn herte al hool, now is it oute. |
| I myghte no lenger kepe it, out of doute." |
| 985 | Heere may ye se, thogh we a tyme abyde, |
| Yet out it moot, we kan no conseil hyde. |
| The remenant of the tale, if ye wol heere, |
| Redeth Ovyde, and ther ye may it leere. |
|
|
Ovid, among some other matters small, |
| Said Midas had beneath his long curled hair, |
| 960 | Two ass's ears that grew in secret there, |
| The which defect he hid, as best he might, |
| Full cunningly from every person's sight, |
| And, save his wife, no one knew of it, no. |
| He loved her most, and trusted her also; |
| 965 | And he prayed of her that to no creature |
| She'd tell of his disfigurement impure. |
| She swore him: Nay, for all this world to win |
| She would do no such villainy or sin |
| And cause her husband have so foul a name; |
| 970 | Nor would she tell it for her own deep shame. |
| Nevertheless, she thought she would have died |
| Because so long the secret must she hide; |
| It seemed to swell so big about her heart |
| That some word from her mouth must surely start; |
| 975 | And since she dared to tell it to no man, |
| Down to a marsh, that lay hard by, she ran; |
| Till she came there her heart was all afire, |
| And as a bittern booms in the quagmire, |
| She laid her mouth low to the water down: |
| 980 | "Betray me not, you sounding water blown," |
| Said she, "I tell it to none else but you: |
| Long ears like asses' has my husband two! |
| Now is my heart at ease, since that is out; |
| I could no longer keep it, there's no doubt." |
| 985 | Here may you see, though for a while we bide, |
| Yet out it must; no secret can we hide. |
| The rest of all this tale, if you would hear, |
| Read Ovid: in his book does it appear. |
|
