Thus day by day this childe began to crie, Til in his fadres barme adoun it lay, And saide, farewelj fader, I mote die; And kist his fader, and dide the same day. And whan the woful fader did it sey, For wo his armes two he gan to bite, And saide, alas! fortune, and wala wa! Thy false whele my wo all may I wite.

His children wenden, that for hunger it was That he his armes gnowe, and not for wo, And sayden: fader, do not so, alas! But rather ete the flesh upon us two. Our flesh thou yaf us, take our flesh us fro, And ete ynough: right thus they to him seide, And after that, within a day or two, They laide hem in his lappe adoun, and deide.