BASILISK.] 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



smell and with his teeth ; and slayeth also all thing that 

 hath life, with breath and with sight. In his sight no fowl 

 nor bird passeth harmless, and though he be far from the 

 fowl, yet it is burnt and devoured by his mouth. But he 

 is overcome of the weasel ; and men bring the weasel to 

 the Cockatrice' den where he lurketh and is hid. For the 

 Father and Maker of all thing left no thing without 

 remedy. And so the Cockatrice fleeth when he seeth the 

 weasel, and the weasel pursueth and slayeth him. For the 

 biting of the weasel is death to the Cockatrice ; and never- 



leless the biting of the Cockatrice is death to the weasel. 

 And that is sooth, but if [unless] the weasel eat rue before. 

 And against such venom, first the weasel eateth the herb of. 

 rue, though it be bitter, and by virtue of the juice of that 

 herb, he goeth boldly and overcometh his enemy. And the 

 Cockatrice is half a foot long, and hath white specks : And 

 the Cockatrice slayeth that that he cometh nigh. As the 

 scorpion he pursueth thirsty animals, and when they come 

 to the water, he maketh them dropsical, and hydrophobic. 

 For that water that he toucheth maketh the dropsy, and it 



