[Fol. 77.] An angel meets him in the way. The ass is frightened, An angel drog an ſwerd him bi-foren, ðiſ aſſe wurð ſo ſore of-dred, Vt of ðe weige it haueð him led. 3956 Sellic ðogte balaam for-ði, And bet and wente it to ðe ſti Bi-twen two walles of ſton; and turns aside to the wall, Eft ſtod ðiſ angel him a-gon,[372] 3960 ðiſ aſſe iſ eft of weige ſtired,[373] So ðat balames fot iſ hird;[374] so that Balaam's foot is crushed. And he wurð ðo for anger wroð, And ðiſ prikeð and negt ſloð; 3964 [369] MS. ginges. [370] MS. queden. [371] MS. haued. [372] ? agen. [373] ? stirt. [374] ? hirt. BALAAM'S ASS SPEAKS. The angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, forð and narwere ðiſ aſſe hi_m_ bar, And ðe ðridde ſiðe wurð ðe angel war. ðo ne migte ðes aſſe flen, and the ass fell down under Balaam, Ne he ne durſte forðere ten, 3968 Oc fel ðor dun(.) ðan ðis was don, who smote her with his staff. Balaam it ſpureð and ſmit ðor-on; And god vndede ðiſ aſſes muð, God opened the mouth of the ass, and she spoke to her master. So ſoð it iſ(.) ſo it is ſelcuð. 3972 Q_u_uað ðiſ aſſe ðus wið vn-miðe, "Qui betes ðu me ðis ðridde ſiðe?" Q_u_að balaam, "for ðu tregeſt me; Had ic an ſwerd, ic ſluge ðe." 3976 Nevertheless this infatuated man was not frightened. So was ðis were to wunder brogt, ðhog ðe aſſe ſpac, frigtede he nogt; [Fol. 77b.] ðe let god[375] him ðat angel ſen, The angel tells Balaam, wið ðe ſwerd dragen him agen. 3980 Q_u_að ðe angel, "ðin weige iſ me loð, that but for the ass he would have slain him. ðor-fore am ic wið ðe ðuſ loð;[376] If ðin aſſe ne were wið-dragen, Her ſuldes ðu nu wurðen ſlagen." 3984 The prophet offers to return. Q_u_að balaam, "q_u_ane ic haue miſ-faren, If ðu wilt, ic agen ſal charen."