The flood was sinking; the sea-farers, the heroes and
their wives, longed [for the time] when they might
venture to step out of their straitened quarters over the
well-nailed side out on the bank, and take their goods 1435
out of their crowded home. So the guardian of the ship
tried to find out whether the waters were still sinking
under the clouds: accordingly, after many days from the
time the high mountain-sides received the possessions 1440
and persons of the races of earth, the son of Lamech
let a black raven fly out of the Ark over the high flood.
Noe believed that if it found no land in its flight, it 1445
would zealously seek him again on the ship over the wide
water. But this hope failed him; for the evil [bird]
alighted upon a floating corpse: the dark-feathered fowl
would not seek [further]. Then again after a week he sent
from the Ark a purple dove to fly over the high water 1450
after the dark raven, for the purpose of finding out
whether the foamy sea, the ocean, had given up any
portion of the green earth, as yet. Widely she sought 1455
her desired object, and flew afar: nowhere did she find
a resting-place, since she could not settle on land on foot
because of the flood, nor alight on a leaf of a tree
because of the waves; for the steep mountain-sides were 1460
hidden by the waters. The wild bird set out in the
evening to seek the Ark over the dusky flood, and sank
weary and famished in the hands of the pious hero.
Then after a week the wild-dove was again sent out 1465
from the Ark: she flew far, until greatly rejoicing she
found a fair place for rest and settled with her feet on