The Word of the Serpent

Wac swelhe sbo nudre wæs ibappre Donne ealle Da dBre ncetenu De
God ieworhte ofer eorBan; and sbo nudre cwæB tdDam wcfe: ‘Hwf
forbbad God bow Dæt ib ne uten of ulcum trbowe binnan Para
dcsum?’ Cæt wcf andwyrde: ‘Of Dara trbowa wæstme De sind on
Paradcsum wb etaB: and of Dæs trbowes wæstme, De is onmiddan
neorxenawange, God bebbad es Dæt wb ne uten, ne wbDæt trbow
ne hrepoden Df lus De wb swulten.’ Ca cwæB sbo nudre eft tdDam
wcfe: ‘Ne bbo ib nateshwdn dbade, Dbah De ib of Dam trbowe eten.
Ac God wat sdBlche Dæt bowre bagan bboB ieopenode on swa
hwelhum dæie swaib etaB of Dam trbowe; and ib bboBDonne
englum ielche, witende uiBer ie gdd ie yfel.’

What kind of serpent was there before all the creatures that God made upon the earth; and the serpent said unto the woman: 'Why hath God said that ye shall not eat of any tree in the garden?' And the woman answered: 'Of the fruit of the trees we may eat: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of paradise, God hath said that we shall not eat, nor shall we touch it lest we die.' Then said the serpent again unto the woman: 'Ye shall not surely die, for God doth know that in what day soever ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil.'