<< This prayer was but resonable, Therefor god held it ferme and stable: 1500 For Narcisus, shortly to telle, By aventure com to that welle To reste him in that shadowing A day, whan he com fro hunting. This Narcisus had suffred paynes 1505 For renning alday in the playnes, And was for thurst in greet distresse Of hete, and of his werinesse That hadde his breeth almost binomen. Whan he was to that welle y-comen, 1510 That shadwed was with braunches grene, He thoughte of thilke water shene To drinke and fresshe him wel withalle; And doun on knees he gan to falle, And forth his heed and nekke out-straughte 1515 To drinken of that welle a draughte And in the water anoon was sene His nose, his mouth, his yën shene, And he ther-of was al abasshed; His owne shadowe had him bitrasshed. 1520 For wel wende he the forme see Of a child of greet beautee. >> Cele proiere fu resnable, Et por ce la fist Diex estable, Que Narcisus, par aventure, A la fontaine clere et pure Se vint sous le pin umbroier, Ung jour qu'il venoit d'archoier, 1480 Et avoit soffert grant travail De corre et amont et aval, Tant qu'il ot soif por l'aspreté Du chault, et por la lasseté Qui li ot tolue l'alaine. Et quant il vint à la fontaine Que li pins de ses rains covroit, Il se pensa que il bevroit: Sus la fontaine, tout adens Se mist lors por boivre dedans. 1490 Si vit en l'iaue clere et nete Son vis, son nés et sa bouchete, Et cis maintenant s'esbahi; Car ses umbres l'ot si trahi, Que cuida véoir la figure D'ung enfant bel à desmesure. << Wel couthe Love him wreke tho Of daunger and of pryde also, That Narcisus somtyme him bere. 1525 He quitte him wel his guerdon there; For he so musede in the welle, That, shortly al the sothe to telle, He lovede his owne shadowe so, That atte laste he starf for wo. 1530 For whan he saugh that he his wille Mighte in no maner wey fulfille, And that he was so faste caught That he him couthe comfort naught, He loste his wit right in that place, 1535 And deyde within a litel space. And thus his warisoun he took For the lady that he forsook. Ladyes, I preye ensample taketh, Ye that ayeins your love mistaketh: 1540 For if hir deeth be yow to wyte, God can ful wel your whyle quyte. Whan that this lettre, of whiche I telle, Had taught me that it was the welle Of Narcisus in his beautee, 1545 I gan anoon withdrawe me,