The mountenance[30] of dayes three
He heard but swoughing of the flood;
At the last he said "Full woe is me!
Almost I die for fault of food." 120
She led him intill a fair herbere[31]
Where fruit was growing great plenty;
Pear and apple, both ripe they were,
The date, and also the damasee,
The fig, and also the wine-berry; 125
The nightegales bigging[32] on their nest;
The papejoys[33] fast about gan fly,
And throstles sang, would have no rest.
He pressed to pull fruit with his hand,
As man for food that was near faint. 130
She said "Thomas, thou let them stand,[34]
Or else the fiend thee will attaint!
If thou it pluck, soothly to say,
Thy soul goes to the fire of hell;
It comes never out or Doomesday, 135
But there in pain aye for to dwell.
Thomas, soothly, I thee hight[35],
Come lay thy head down on my knee,
And thou shalt see the fairest sight
That ever saw man of thy country." 140
He did in hight[36] as she him bade;
Upon her knee his head he laid,
For her to pay[37] he was full glad,
And then that lady to him said:
"Seest thou[38] now yon fair[39] way, 145
That lieth over yon high mountain?
Yon is the way to heaven for aye
When sinful souls are past their pain.
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