but still he could not speak]

Mnetha said come in aged wanderer tell us of thy name

Why shouldest thou conceal thyself from those of thine own flesh

I am not of this region. said Tiriel dissemblingly

[Fearing to tell him who he was. because of the weakness of Har]

50  I am an aged wanderer once father of a race

Far in the north. but they were wicked & were all destroyd

And I their father sent an outcast. I have told you all

Ask me no more I pray for grief hath seald my precious sight

O Lord said Mnetha how I tremble are there then more people

More human creatures on this earth beside the sons of Har

No more said Tiriel but I remain on all this globe

And I remain an outcast. hast thou any thing to drink

Then Mnetha gave him milk & fruits. & they sat down together

3
They sat & eat & Har & Heva smild on Tiriel

Thou art a very old old man but I am older than thou

How came thine hair to leave thy forehead how came thy face so brown

My hair is very long my beard. doth cover all my breast

God bless thy piteous face. to count the wrinkles in thy face

Would puzzle Mnetha. bless thy face for thou art Tiriel

[Tiriel could scarce dissemble more & his tongue could scarce refrain

But still he feard that Har & Heva would die of joy & grief.]

Tiriel I never saw but once I sat with him & eat

10  He was as chearful as a prince & gave me entertainment

But long I staid not at his palace for I am forcd to wander

What wilt thou leave us too said Heva thou shalt not leave us too

For we have many sports to shew thee & many songs to sing

And after dinner we will walk into the cage of Har

And thou shalt help us to catch birds. & gather them ripe cherries

Then let thy name be Tiriel & never leave us more

If thou dost go said Har I wish thine eyes may see thy folly

My sons have left me did thine leave thee O twas very cruel

No venerable man said Tiriel ask me not such things

20  For thou dost make my heart to bleed my sons were not like thine

But worse O never ask me more or I must flee away

Thou shalt not go said Heva till thou hast seen our singing birds

And heard Har sing in the great cage & slept upon our fleeces

Go not for thou art so like Tiriel. that I love thine head

Tho it is wrinkled like the earth parchd with the summer heat

Then Tiriel rose up from the seat & said god bless these tents

[God bless my benefactors. for I cannot tarry longer]

My Journey is oer rocks & mountains. not in pleasant vales

I must not sleep nor rest because of madness & dismay

30   [Then Mnetha led him to the door & gave to him his staff

And Har & Heva stood & watchd him till he enterd the wood

And then they went & wept to Mnetha but they soon forgot their tears]

And Mnetha said Thou must not go to wander dark. alone

But dwell with us & let us be to thee instead of eyes

And I will bring thee food old man. till death shall call thee hence

Then Tiriel frownd & answerd. Did I not command you saying

Madness & deep dismay posses[s] the heart of the blind man

The wanderer who [runs] seeks the woods leaning upon his staff

Then Mnetha trembling at his frowns led him to the tent door

40  And gave to him his staff & blest him. he went on his way

But Har & Heva stood & watchd him till he enterd the wood

And then they went & wept to Mnetha. but they soon forgot their tears

4
Over the weary hills the blind man took his lonely way

To him the day & night alike was dark & desolate

But far he had not gone when Ijim from his woods come down

Met him at entrance of the forest in a dark & lonely way

Who art thou Eyeless wretch that thus obstructst the lions path

Ijim shall rend thy feeble joints thou tempter of dark Ijim

Thou hast the form of Tiriel but I know thee well enough

Stand from my path foul fiend is this the last of thy deceits

To be a hypocrite & stand in shape of a blind beggar

10  The blind man heard his brothers voice & kneeld down on his knee

O brother Ijim if it is thy voice that speaks to me

Smite not thy brother Tiriel tho weary of his life

My sons have smitten me already. and if thou smitest me

The curse that rolls over their heads will rest itself on thine

Tis now seven years Since in my palace I beheld thy face

[Seven years of sorrow then the curse of Zazel]

Come thou dark fiend I dare thy cunning know that Ijim scorns

To smite the[e] in the form of helpless age & eyeless policy

Rise up for I discern thee & I dare thy eloquent tongue

20  Come I will lead thee on thy way & use thee as a scoff

O Brother Ijim thou beholdest wretched Tiriel

Kiss me my brother & then leave me to wander desolate

No artful fiend. but I will lead thee dost thou want to go

Reply not lest I bind thee with the green flags of the brook

Ay now thou art discoverd I will use thee like a slave

When Tiriel heard the words of Ijim he sought not to reply

He knew twas vain for Ijims words were as the voice of Fate

And they went on together over hills thro woody dales

Blind to the pleasures of the sight & deaf to warbling birds

30  All day they walkd & all the night beneath the pleasant Moon

Westwardly journeying till Tiriel grew weary with his travel

O Ijim I am faint & weary for my knees forbid

To bear me further. urge me not lest I should die with travel

A little rest I crave a little water from a brook

Or I shall soon discover that I am a mortal man

And you will lose your once lovd Tiriel alas how faint I am

Impudent fiend said Ijim hold thy glib & eloquent tongue

Tiriel is a king. & thou the tempter of dark Ijim

Drink of this running brook. & I will bear thee on my shoulders

40  He drank & Ijim raisd him up & bore him on his shoulders

All day he bore him & when evening drew her solemn curtain

Enterd the gates of Tiriels palace. & stood & calld aloud

Heuxos come forth I here have brought the fiend that troubles Ijim

Look knowst thou aught of this grey beard. or of these blinded eyes

Heuxos & Lotho ran forth at the sound of Ijims voice

And saw their aged father borne upon his mighty shoulders

Their eloquent tongues were dumb & sweat stood on their trembling limbs

They knew twas vain to strive with Ijim they bowd & silent stood

What Heuxos call thy father for I [must] mean to sport to night

50  This is the hypocrite that sometimes roars a dreadful lion

Then I have rent his limbs & left him rotting in the forest

For birds to eat but I have scarce departed from the place

But like a tyger he would come & so I rent him too

Then like a river he would seek to drown me in his waves

But soon I buffetted the torrent anon like to a cloud

Fraught with the swords of lightning. but I bravd the vengeance too

Then he would creep like a bright serpent till around my neck

While I was Sleeping he would twine I squeezd his poisnous soul

Then like a toad or like a newt. would whisper in my ears

60    Or like a rock stood in my way. or like a poisnous shrub

At last I caught him in the form of Tiriel blind & old

And so Ill keep him fetch your father forth Myratana

They stood confounded. and Thus Tiriel raisd his silver voice

Serpents not sons [you see and know your father] why do you stand fetch hither Tiriel

Fetch hither Myratana & delight yourselves with scoffs

For poor blind Tiriel is returnd & this much injurd head

Is ready for your bitter taunts.