The Complete Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
Riddle 3
Verse Indeterminate Saxon
Hwilum mec min frea fæste genearwað,
sendeð þonne under salwonges
bearm þone bradan, ond on bid wriceð,
þrafað on þystrum þrymma sumne,
5
hæste on enge, þær me heord siteð
hruse on hrycge. Nah ic hwyrftweges
of þam aglace, ac ic eþelstol
hæleþa hrere; hornsalu wagiað,
wera wicstede, weallas beofiað,
10
steape ofer stiwitum. Stille þynceð
lyft ofer londe ond lagu swige,
oþþæt ic of enge up aþringe,
efne swa mec wisaþ se mec wræde on
æt frumsceafte furþum legde,
15
bende ond clomme, þæt ic onbugan ne mot
of þæs gewealde þe me wegas tæcneð.
Hwilum ic sceal ufan yþa wregan,
streamas styrgan ond to staþe þywan
flintgrægne flod. Famig winneð
20
wæg wið wealle, wonn ariseð
dun ofer dype; hyre deorc on last,
eare geblonden, oþer fereð,
þæt hy gemittað mearclonde neah
hea hlincas. þær bið hlud wudu,
25
brimgiesta breahtm, bidað stille
stealc stanhleoþu streamgewinnes,
hopgehnastes, þonne heah geþring
on cleofu crydeþ. þær bið ceole wen
sliþre sæcce, gif hine sæ byreð
30
on þa grimman tid, gæsta fulne,
þæt he scyle rice birofen weorþan,
feore bifohten fæmig ridan
yþa hrycgum. þær bið egsa sum
ældum geywed, þara þe ic hyran sceal
35
strong on stiðweg. Hwa gestilleð þæt?
Hwilum ic þurhræse, þæt me on bæce rideð
won wægfatu, wide toþringe
lagustreama full, hwilum læte eft
slupan tosomne. Se bið swega mæst,
40
breahtma ofer burgum, ond gebreca hludast,
þonne scearp cymeð sceo wiþ oþrum,
ecg wið ecge; earpan gesceafte
fus ofer folcum fyre swætað,
blacan lige, ond gebrecu ferað
45
deorc ofer dryhtum gedyne micle,
farað feohtende, feallan lætað
sweart sumsendu seaw of bosme,
wætan of wombe. Winnende fareð
atol eoredþreat, egsa astigeð,
50
micel modþrea monna cynne,
brogan on burgum, þonne blace scotiað
scriþende scin scearpum wæpnum.
Dol him ne ondrædeð ða deaðsperu,
swylteð hwæþre, gif him soð meotud
55
on geryhtu þurh regn ufan
of gestune læteð stræle fleogan,
farende flan. Fea þæt gedygað,
þara þe geræceð rynegiestes wæpen.
Ic þæs orleges or anstelle,
60
þonne gewite wolcengehnaste
þurh geþræc þringan þrimme micle
ofer byrnan bosm. Biersteð hlude
heah hloðgecrod; þonne hnige eft
under lyfte helm londe near,
65
ond me on hrycg hlade þæt ic habban sceal,
meahtum gemagnad mines frean.
Swa ic þrymful þeow þragum winne,
hwilum under eorþan, hwilum yþa sceal
hean underhnigan, hwilum holm ufan
70
streamas styrge, hwilum stige up,
wolcnfare wrege, wide fere
swift ond swiþfeorm. Saga hwæt ic hatte,
oþþe hwa mec rære, þonne ic restan ne mot,
oþþe hwa mec stæðþe, þonne ic stille beom.
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