Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/1

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This is a version of Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/1 that has been annotated by the Wikisource community.

1188450Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book1963Paull Franklin Baum

1 (k-d 1)


What good man is     so learned and so clever
that he can say who drives me     forth on my way?
When I rise up strong     at times furious,
I thunder mightily     and again with havoc
I sweep over the land,     burn the great hall,
ravage the buildings.     Smoke mounts on high
dark over the rooftops.     Clamor is everywhere,
sudden death among men.     When I shake the forest,
the trees proud in their fruit,     I fell the boles.
With my roof of water,     by the powers above
I am driven far and wide     on my avenging path.
I bear on my back     what once covered the forms
of the earth-dwellers,     their body and soul
together in the waters.     Say what covers me
or what I am called     who bear this burden.









10





Hwylc is hæleþa     þæs horsc þæs hygecræftig
þæt mæge asecgan     hwa mec on sið wræce
þōn ic astige     strong stundū reþe
þrymful þunie     þragum wræce
fere geond foldan     folcsalo bærne
ræced reafige     recas stigað
haswe ofer hrofū     hlǐn bið on eorþan
wælcwealm wera     þōn Ic wudu hrere
bearwas bledhwate     beamas fylle
holme gehrefed     heanū meahtum
wrecan on waþe     wide sended
hæbbe me on hrycge     ær hadas wreah
foldbuendra     flæsc gæstas
somod on sunde     saga hwa mec þecce
oþþe hu ic hatte     þe þa hlæst bere :⁊

A storm of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning on land. Ll. 12–14 refer to the Biblical Flood.