Page:The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew and Thomas.djvu/334

 Which the king has sealed Because of the wicked Babylonians And the tyrannical demons of Labyrinth. < It (i. e. the letter) flew like the eagle, The king of all fowls. It flew and came down to me And was all speech. > Through its voice and its audible sound I started up from the sleep, Took it and kissel it, < Broke its seal > and read. Its contents agreed with that Which was written in my heart. At once I remembered that I am a king's son, And my free origin longed after its kind, I also remembered the pearl, For which I was sent to Egypt; And with sayings I began The fearful serpent. I lulled it asleep < and sunk it into slumber, > For I mentioned the name of my father over it, < And the name of our second one And of my mother, the queen of the East. > And I seized the pearl And returned to bring it to my parents. And I took off the dirty garment And left it behind in its country. And immediately I directed my way To the light of my country in the East.