This carpenter out of his slumber start, And heard one cry “Water,” as he were wood, 1176 And thought, “Alas! now cometh Noë’s flood.” He sat him up withoutë wordës mo’, And with his axe he smote the cord in two; And down went all; he found neither to sell Nor bread nor ale, 1177 till he came to the sell, 1178 Upon the floor, and there in swoon he lay. Up started Alison and Nicholay, And cried out an “harow!” 1179 in the street. The neighbours allë, bothë small and great In rannë, for to gauren 1180 on this man, That yet in swoonë lay, both pale and wan: For with the fall he broken had his arm. But stand he must unto his owen harm, For when he spake, he was anon borne down