SERPENT.] NATURAL HISTORY. 279 



too little to cast venom. Also some Serpents have many 

 heads ; for some be doubled, and some trebled, and some 

 quadrupled. And Hydra is a Serpent with many heads,, 

 and it is said that if one head be smitten off. three grow 

 again but this is a fable. The Serpent Scy tails shineth with 

 diversity of speckles, that all that looketh thereon for 

 wonder of the speckles hath liking to look thereon, and,, 

 for he is most slow in creeping, by a wonder of his diversity 

 of speckles, he catcheth them that he may not follow in 

 going and in creeping. And the Serpent Enhydris is a 

 water-adder, and whoso is smitten of that adder, he swelleth 

 into dropsy, and the dirt of an ox is remedy therefor. Also 

 Natrix is an adder, and infecteth with venom each well 

 that he cometh nigh. And some Serpents and adders lie 

 in await for them that sleep, and if they find the mouth 

 open of them or of other beasts, then they creep in, but 

 against such adders a little beast fighteth as it were a little 

 eft (and some men mean that it is a lizard), for he leapeth 

 upon his face that sleepeth, and scratcheth with his feet to 

 wake him and to warn him of the Serpent. And this little 

 eft, when he waxeth old, his eyes waxeth blind, and then 

 he goeth into an hole of a wall against the East, and 

 openeth his eyes afterward when the sun is risen, and then 

 his eyes healeth and taketh sight. And some manner 

 Serpent dwell in the fire as it fareth of the 'salamander 

 [<7.^.]. Also some Serpents go forth and hold up the body 

 from the breast upward, as the water-adder doth that hight 

 Chelydros, and he infecteth the place that he glideth in, and 

 maketh the sight smoky ; and this Serpent beareth up the 

 head, for if he bendeth while he runneth, he breaketh anon. 

 And some be so swift and light of moving, that it seemeth 

 that they fly, as the Serpent that hight Jaculus flieth as a 

 dart, and leapeth into trees, and if he meeteth with any 

 beast, he throweth himself thereupon, and slayeth it. Also 

 in Arabia be Serpents called Sirens among many men ; and 

 they run swifter than horses, and therefore it is said that 

 they fly, and their venom is so strong that death cometh 

 tofore [before] biting, and tofore ache also. And the 

 horned Serpent Cerastes hideth himself in gravel and sand, 

 and sheweth his horns above to comfort beasts and fowls 

 to come as it were to meat by shewing of horns ; and 

 hath horns like ram's horns, and beasts and fowls come 



