rld standeth."
(ll. 1543-1554) And the wise son of Lamech, the warden of wealth,
came forth from the ship as the flood receded, and his three sons
with him. And their four wives were called Percoba, and Olla,
and Olliva, and Ollivani. The Faithful Lord had saved them to
survive the flood. And Noah's stout-hearted sons were Shem and
Ham, and the third was Japheth. From them sprang many peoples,
and all the earth was filled with the sons of men.
(ll. 1555-1561) Then a second time Noah began to establish a home
with his kinsmen, and to till the earth for food. He toiled and
wrought and planted a vineyard and sowed seed, and laboured that
the green earth might bring forth her shining harvests, her
gleaming crops, in every season.
(ll. 1562-1576) And it came to pass upon a time that the blessed
man lay drunk with wine in his dwelling, and slumbered heavy with
feasting, and cast off his robe from his body, as was not seemly,
and lay there naked of limb. Little did he know what evil plight
was his in his dwelling, while drunkenness had hold upon his
heart within him in its holy house. But his soul was fast bound
in slumber, so that in his stupor he might not cover himself with
a garment, nor hide his shame, as was decreed for man and woman
what time the thane of glory with a sword of fire behind our
first great parents locked the gates of life.
(ll. 1577-1588) Then Ham, the son of Noah, went in where his lord
lay sleeping, and would not look with reverence upon his father,
nor cover his shame. But he laughed, and told his brothers how
their lord lay sleeping in his home. And straightway, covering
their faces with their cloaks, they went in unto the well-beloved
to bring him succour. For both were good of heart, both Shem and
Japheth.
(ll. 1588-1603) Then the son of Lamech awoke from his slumber,
and learned that Ham had failed to show him reverence or love
when he had greatest need. And the holy man was grieved in his
heart, and set a curse upon his son, saying that Ham should be an
outcast under heaven and servant to his kinsmen on the earth.
And the curse lay heavy upon him and on all his tribe. And Noah
and his sons as freemen ruled a wide-stretching realm for three
hundred and fifty winters of this life, after the flood. Then he
went hence. And his sons possessed his wealth, and begat
children and prospered.
(ll. 1603-1616) Children were born unto Japheth, a glad
hearth-band of sons and daught
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