Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/293



And in the same way    with all his soul

Such love for her    he felt in his heart

That to his country    no care to return

Had power in his mind    like that of the maiden;

But he went on dwelling    with the woman thereafter.

So long remained    that none of his men,

His servants sturdy,    would stay with him longer.

But after their hardships    for home were longing,

And purposed to leave    their dear lord behind.

Now folk began    to make a fable,

How that this woman    with her witchcraft

Changed men's bodies,    and with baleful arts

Caused them to take,    the king's true servants,

The bodies of beasts,    and bound them afterwards,

And fastened many    in fetters also.

Some became wolves    and no word could utter.

But from time to time    took to howling;

Some were wild boars,    and broke into grunting

When they their sorrow    sought to lament;

Those that were lions    let forth in anger

A dreadful roar    when they desired

To hail each other. These hapless mortals,

Both old and young,    yes all, were turned

To some wild beast,    such as before

During his life-days    each most was like

All save the king,    the queen's beloved.

Nought would they taste,    any one of them,

Of meat of men,    but more they longed for

What beasts supports,    as was not seemly.

No more was left them    of men's likeness,

Of the earth-dwellers,