The Old Ways

Norse · Anglo-Saxon Poetry · 80 of 343

Riddle 39

Old English originals (Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records)

Gewritu secgað þæt seo wiht sy mid moncynne miclum tidum sweotol ond gesyne. Sundorcræft hafað maran micle, þonne hit men witen. Heo wile gesecan sundor æghwylcne feorhberendra, gewiteð eft feran on weg. Ne bið hio næfre niht þær oþre, ac hio sceal wideferh wreccan laste hamleas hweorfan; no þy heanre biþ. Ne hafað hio fot ne folme, ne æfre foldan hran, ne eagena ægþer twega, ne muð hafaþ, ne wiþ monnum spræc, ne gewit hafað, ac gewritu secgað þæt seo sy earmost ealra wihta,

þara þe æfter gecyndum cenned wære. Ne hafað hio sawle ne feorh, ac hio siþas sceal geond þas wundorworuld wide dreogan. Ne hafaþ hio blod ne ban, hwæþre bearnum wearð geond þisne middangeard mongum to frofre. Næfre hio heofonum hran, ne to helle mot, ac hio sceal wideferh wuldorcyninges larum lifgan. Long is to secganne hu hyre ealdorgesceaft æfter gongeð, woh wyrda gesceapu; þæt is wrætlic þing to gesecganne. Soð is æghwylc þara þe ymb þas wiht wordum becneð; ne hafað heo ænig lim, leofaþ efne seþeah. Gif þu mæge reselan recene gesecgan

soþum wordum, saga hwæt hio hatte.