POSTS FROM THE EXETER BOOK RIDDLES
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Hwylc is hæleþa þæs horsc      ond þæs hygecræftig
þæt þæt mæge asecgan,      hwa mec on sið wræce,
þonne ic astige strong,      stundum reþe,
þrymful þunie,      þragum wræce
5     fere geond foldan,      folcsalo bærne,
ræced reafige?      Recas stigað,
haswe ofer hrofum.      Hlin bið on eorþan,
wælcwealm wera,      þonne ic wudu hrere, …

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Solution: Storm, Wind, etc.

Hwilum ic gewite,      swa ne wenaþ men,
under yþa geþræc      eorþan secan,
garsecges grund.      Gifen biþ gewreged,
fam gewealcen;
5     hwælmere hlimmeð,      hlude grimmeð,
streamas staþu beatað,      stundum weorpaþ
on stealc hleoþa      stane ond sonde,
ware ond wæge,      þonne ic winnende,
holmmægne biþeaht,      hrusan styrge,
10     side sægrundas.      …

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Solution: Storm, Wind, etc

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,      …

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Solution: Storm, Wind, etc

Ic sceal þragbysig      þegne minum,
hringum hæfted,      hyran georne,
min bed brecan,      breahtme cyþan
þæt me halswriþan      hlaford sealde.
5     Oft mec slæpwerigne      secg oðþe meowle
gretan eode;      ic him gromheortum
winterceald oncweþe.      Wearm lim …

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Solution: Bell, Bucket, Plough-team, etc.

Ic eom anhaga         iserne wund,
bille gebennad,         beadoweorca sæd,
ecgum werig.         Oft ic wig seo,
frecne feohtan.         Frofre ne wene,
5     þæt me geoc cyme         guðgewinnes,
ær ic …

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Solution: Shield (most widely supported), Chopping Block, Guilt

Mec gesette soð         sigora waldend
Crist to compe.        Oft ic cwice bærne,
unrimu cyn         eorþan getenge,
næte mid niþe,         swa ic him no hrine,
5     þonne mec min frea         feohtan …

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Solution: Sun

Hrægl min swigað,      þonne ic hrusan trede,
oþþe þa wic buge,      oþþe wado drefe.
Hwilum mec ahebbað      ofer hæleþa byht
hyrste mine,      ond þeos hea lyft,
5     ond mec þonne wide      wolcna strengu
ofer folc byreð.      Frætwe mine
swogað hlude      ond swinsiað,
torhte singað,      þonne ic getenge ne beom
flode …

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Solution: Swan
Ic þurh muþ sprece             mongum reordum,
wrencum singe,             wrixle geneahhe
heafodwoþe,             hlude cirme,
healde mine wisan,             hleoþre ne miþe,
5       eald æfensceop,   …
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Solution: Nightingale (likely), Pipe or Flute, all manner of other birds, etc

Mec on þissum dagum      deadne ofgeafun
fæder on modor;      ne wæs me feorh þa gen,
ealdor in innan.      Þa mec an ongon,
welhold mege,      wedum þeccan,
5     heold ond freoþode,      hleosceorpe wrah
swa arlice      swa hire agen bearn,
oþþæt ic under sceate,      swa min gesceapu wæron,
ungesibbum wearð      …

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Solution: Cuckoo

Neb wæs min on nearwe,         ond ic neoþan wætre,
flode underflowen,         firgenstreamum
swiþe besuncen,         ond on sunde awox
ufan yþum þeaht,         anum getenge
5     liþendum wuda         lice mine.
Hæfde feorh …

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Solution: Barnacle goose

Hrægl is min hasofag,      hyrste beorhte,
reade ond scire      on reafe minum.
Ic dysge dwelle      ond dole hwette
unrædsiþas,      oþrum styre
5     nyttre fore.      Ic þæs nowiht wat
þæt heo swa gemædde,      mode bestolene,
dæde gedwolene,   …

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Solution: Wine or Cup of Wine

Fotum ic fere,      foldan slite,
grene wongas,      þenden ic gæst bere.
Gif me feorh losað,      fæste binde
swearte Wealas,      hwilum sellan men.
5     Hwilum ic deorum      drincan selle
beorne of bosme,      hwilum mec bryd triedeð
felawlonc fotum,   …

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Solution: Ox, Ox-hide, Leather (object), etc.

Ic seah turf tredan,      X wæron ealra,
VI gebroþor      ond hyra sweostor mid;
hæfdon feorg cwico.      Fell hongedon
sweotol ond gesyne      on seles wæge
5     anra gehwylces.      Ne wæs hyra ængum þy wyrs,
ne siðe þy sarre,      þeah hy swa sceoldon
reafe birofene,      rodra weardes
meahtum aweahte,      muþum …

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Solution: Ten chickens (this is the generally accepted one), ten pheasants, butterfly cocoon, alphabet, moth, fingers and gloves

Ic wæs wæpenwiga.      Nu mec wlonc þeceð
geong hagostealdmon      golde ond sylfore,
woum wirbogum.      Hwilum weras cyssað,
hwilum ic to hilde      hleoþre bonne
5     wilgehleþan,      hwilum wycg byreþ
mec ofer mearce,      hwilum merehengest
fereð ofer flodas  …

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Solution: Horn