I am man’s treasure, taken from the woods, cliff-sides, hill-slopes, valleys, downs;

By day wings bear me in the buzzing air,

Slip me under a sheltering roof-sweet craft.

Soon a man bears me to a tub. Bathed,

I am binder and scourge of men, bring down the young, ravage the old, sap strength.

Soon he discovers who wrestles with me

My fierce body-rush – I roll fools

Flush on the ground. Robbed of strength,

Reckless of speech, a man knows no power

Over hands, feet, mind. Who am I who bind

Men on middle-earth, blinding with rage?

Fools know my dark power by daylight.

Codex Exoniensis c. 10^th century


(answer - mead)