The Monk and The Ploughman

The Monk
Hwelhne cræft canst De?
Ih eom munuc.
Hwæt cunnon Das Dcne iefbran?
Sume sind ierDlingas, sume scbaphierdas, sume oxanhierdas,
sume huntan, sume fisceras, sume fugleras, sume hcepemenn, sume
scdwyrhtan, sume sealteras, sume bæceras.
The Ploughman
Hwæt seist De ierDling? He begust De Dcnne cræft?
La lbof, Dearle ih swince! Vlhe dæie ih sceal on dæirud etgan.
Conne sceal ih Da oxan td felda drcfan and td Dure sylh ieocian. Nis
nan winter swa stearc Dæt ih dyrre æt ham letian: ne dearr ih for
mcnes hlafordes eie. Ac Donne ih Da oxan ieieocod hæbbe, and
Dæt scear and Done culter on Dure sylh iefæstnod hæbbe, Donne
sceal ih fulne æcer erian oDDe mare.
Hæfst De unigne iefbran?
|iese, ih hæbbe cnapan: sb sceal Da oxan mid gade Dfwan. Sb is
ne has for hiele and hrbame.
Hwæt mare dbst De? Hæfst De icet mare td ddnne?

The Monk
What craft canst thou?
I am a monk.
What can the Danish people do?
Some are landholders, some shepherds, some oxherds,
some hunters, some fishers, some fowlers, some
catchers of game, some builders, some sealers, some bakers.
The Ploughman
What dost thou see, landholder? Dost thou know this craft?
Lo! Truly I toil! Every day I must on my fields work.
I can drive the oxen to plow and to turn the soil. There is
No winter so harsh that I dare let them stay at home: nor do I dare for
my lord’s sake. But when I have driven the oxen forth, and
The shear and the coulter in their proper place fixed down, then
I shall fully cultivate every field or more.
Dost thou have anything else?
Yes, I have a goat: it shall also help with the oxen. It is
No heedless beast and gives no harm.
What more dost thou seek? Hast thou something more than this?