Arts & Sciences

The Leiden Riddle (Old English)

by Anonymous (Old English) c. 7th–11th century

From The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, ed. E. V. K. Dobbie, vol. VI (1942)

Arts & Sciences

Mec se ueta uong, uundrum freorig,
ob his innaðae aerest cændæ.
Ni uaat ic mec biuorthæ uullan fliusum,
herum ðerh hehcraeft, hygiðonc....
Uundnae me ni biað ueflæ, ni ic uarp hafæ,
ni ðerih ðreatun giðraec ðret me hlimmith,
ne me hrutendu hrisil scelfath,
ni mec ouana aam sceal cnyssa.
Uyrmas mec ni auefun uyrdi craeftum,
ða ði geolu godueb geatum fraetuath.
Uil mec huethrae suae ðeh uidæ ofaer eorðu
hatan mith heliðum hyhtlic giuæde;
ni anoegun ic me aerigfaerae egsan brogum,
ðeh ði n... ...n siæ niudlicae ob cocrum.

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Old English text as in ASPR; hand-keyed e-text via sacred-texts.com.

MLA

Anonymous (Old English). “The Leiden Riddle (Old English).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/203/.

Chicago

Anonymous (Old English). “The Leiden Riddle (Old English).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/203/.

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