Exeter Riddle 13

MATTHIASAMMON

Date: Thu 12 Sep 2013
Matching Commentaries: Commentary for Exeter Riddle 13
Original text:

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 slitan
haswe blede.      Hrægl bið geniwad
10     þam þe ær forðcymene      frætwe leton
licgan on laste,      gewitan lond tredan.

Translation:

I saw them walk on the ground, there were ten of them in all,
six brothers and their sisters with them;
they had living spirits. The skins of each of them hung
clear and visible on the walls
5     of the hall. It was not worse for any of them,
nor the journey more grievous, though thus they,
bereft of their clothing, awoken through the might
of heaven’s guardian, were compelled to tear with their mouths
the dusky harvest. The garments are renewed
10     for them who, before having come forth, left their trappings
lying in their wake, they depart to walk on the ground.

Click to show riddle solution?
Ten chickens (this is the generally accepted one), ten pheasants, butterfly cocoon, alphabet, moth, fingers and gloves


Notes:

This riddle appears on folio 104r of The Exeter Book.

The above Old English text is based on this edition: Elliott van Kirk Dobbie and George Philip Krapp, eds, The Exeter Book, Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records 3 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1936), page 187.

Note that this edition numbers the text Riddle 11: Craig Williamson, ed., The Old English Riddles of the Exeter Book (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1977), pages 74-5.



Tags: anglo saxon  exeter book  riddles  old english  solutions  riddle 13 

Related Posts:
Exeter Riddle 22
Exeter Riddle 26
Exeter Riddle 39