Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/78

78 (k-d 61)

Often a goodly damsel,     a lady, locked me close in a chest.     Sometimes with her hands she took me out     and gave me to her lord, a fine chieftain,     as he commanded her. Then he thrust his head     well inside me, up from below,     into the narrow part. If the strength prevailed     of him who received me, adorned as I was,     something or other rough was due to fill me.     Guess what I mean.

Oft mec fæste bileac     freolicu meowle ides on earce     hwilum up ateah folmum sinum     ⁊ frean sealde holdum þeodne     swa hio haten wæs siðþan me on hreþre     heafod sticade nioþan upweardne     on nearo fegde gif þæs ondfengan     ellen dohte þe mec frætwedne     fyllan sceolde ruwes nathwæt     ræd hwæt ic mæne

The answer is an ornamented Shirt, which the man pulls over his head. Up to a point this is innocent enough; but a twist at the end, emphasized by the unusual formula, “Guess what I mean,” conveys the double entendre.