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 Aydra 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 Scysa/is 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 1s 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 
[g.v.]. 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 Faculus 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 
