Anglo-Saxon Aloud

A daily reading of the entire Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records,which includes all poems written in Old English. By Michael D. C. Drout, Prentice Associate Professor of English at Wheaton College, Norton, MA.

Archive for the 'Panther' Category

The Panther [all]

Posted by mdrout on 10th October 2007

There are many animals all around middle-earth, so many we cannot count them.  They are found on the land and on the sea.

One wonderful animal is the panther. He is good and kind to every other animal except the dragon alone: he always fights him because of the evils performed by the serpent.

The panther is beautiful in every color, like Joseph’s coat.  His nature is meek and mild, gentle, kind and will not hurt any animal except the dragon.

After he eats, he goes to a secret place inside a cave.  There he sleeps for three days.  He rises on the third day, and a beautiful sound comes from his mouth.  After that sound, a smell comes out, more beautiful than any perfume, more pleasant than the smell of woodblossoms.

Then from all the cities and kingdoms many troops of warriors travel towards the smell.

Likewise, the Lord is kind towards every creature except for the dragon alone, that source of poison.  On the third day the Lord arose from the grave: he had suffered death for us for three days.  That was a sweet smell throughout the whole world.  People gathered to that smell from around the surfaces of the earth.

Thus spoke Paul: The Father gives us many benefits throughout the world and gives us the gift and the preservation of life.”  That is a noble smell.

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