<< Him loved over any creature, 1475 And gan for him swich peyne endure, That on a tyme she him tolde, That, if he hir loven nolde, That hir behoved nedes dye, Ther lay non other remedye. 1480 But natheles, for his beautee, So fiers and daungerous was he, That he nolde graunten hir asking, For weping, ne for fair praying. And whan she herde him werne hir so, 1485 She hadde in herte so gret wo, And took it in so gret dispyt, That she, withoute more respyt, Was deed anoon. But, er she deyde, Ful pitously to god she preyde, 1490 That proude-herted Narcisus, That was in love so daungerous, Mighte on a day ben hampred so For love, and been so hoot for wo, That never he mighte Ioye atteyne; 1495 Than shulde he fele in every veyne What sorowe trewe lovers maken, That been so vilaynsly forsaken.
>> L'avoit amé plus que riens née. El fu par lui si mal menée Qu'ele li dist qu'il li donroit S'amor, ou ele se morroit. Mès cis fu por sa grant biauté Plains de desdaing et de fierté, Si ne la li volt otroier, Ne por chuer, ne por proier. 1460 Quant ele s'oï escondire, Si en ot tel duel et tel ire, Et le tint en si grant despit, Que morte en fu sans lonc respit; Mès ainçois qu'ele se morist, Ele pria Diex et requist Que Narcisus au cuer ferasche, Qu'ele ot trové d'amors si flasche, Fust asproiés encore ung jor, Et eschaufés d'autel amor 1470 Dont il ne péust joie atendre; Si porroit savoir et entendre Quel duel ont li loial amant Que l'en refuse si vilment.
<< This prayer was but resonable, Therefor god held it ferme and stable: 1500 For Narcisus, shortly to telle, By aventure com to that welle To reste him in that shadowing A day, whan he com fro hunting. This Narcisus had suffred paynes 1505 For renning alday in the playnes, And was for thurst in greet distresse Of hete, and of his werinesse That hadde his breeth almost binomen. Whan he was to that welle y-comen, 1510 That shadwed was with braunches grene, He thoughte of thilke water shene To drinke and fresshe him wel withalle; And doun on knees he gan to falle, And forth his heed and nekke out-straughte 1515 To drinken of that welle a draughte And in the water anoon was sene His nose, his mouth, his yën shene, And he ther-of was al abasshed; His owne shadowe had him bitrasshed. 1520 For wel wende he the forme see Of a child of greet beautee.