The Complete Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
Metrical Charm 6: For Delayed Birth
Verse Indeterminate Saxon
Se wifman, se hire cild afedan ne mæg, gange to gewitenes
mannes birgenne and stæppe þonne þriwa ofer þa byrgenne
and cweþe þonne þriwa þas word:
þis me to bote þære laþan lætbyrde,
5
þis me to bote þære swæran
swærbyrde,
þis me to bote þære laðan lambyrde.
And þonne þæt wif seo mid bearne and heo to hyre hlaforde
on reste ga, þonne cweþe heo:
Up ic gonge, ofer þe stæppe
10
mid cwican cilde, nalæs mid cwellendum,
mid fulborenum, nalæs mid fægan.
And þonne seo modor gefele þæt þæt bearn si cwic,
ga
þonne to cyrican, and þonne heo toforan þan weofode cume,
cweþe þonne:
15
Criste, ic sæde, þis gecyþed!
Se wifmon, se hyre bearn afedan ne mæge, genime heo
sylf hyre agenes cildes gebyrgenne dæl, wry æfter
þonne on
blace wulle and bebicge to cepemannum and cweþe þonne:
Ic hit bebicge, ge hit bebicgan,
20
þas sweartan wulle and þysse sorge corn.
Se wifman, se ne mæge bearn afedan,
nime þonne anes
bleos cu meoluc on hyre handæ and gesupe þonne mid hyre
muþe and gange þonne to yrnendum wætere and spiwe þær
in þa meolc and hlade þonne mid þære ylcan hand þæs
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wæteres muð fulne and forswelge. Cweþe þonne þas
word:
Gehwer ferde ic me þone mæran maga þihtan,
mid þysse mæran mete þihtan;
þonne ic me wille habban and ham gan.
þonne heo to þan broce ga, þonne ne beseo heo, no ne eft
30
þonne heo þanan ga, and þonne ga heo in oþer hus oþer
heo
ut ofeode and þær gebyrge metes.
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