I have wist, sin i couthe meen,

That children hath by candle light

Her shadewe on the wal iseen,

And ronne therafter all the night.

Bisy aboute they han ben

To catchen it with all here might.



And whom they catchen it best wolde wene,

Sannest it shet out of her sight,

The shadewe catchen they ne might,

For no lines that they couthe lay.

This shadewe i may likne aright

To this world and yesterday