Mythology & Folklore

Metrical Charm 3: Against a Dwarf (Old English)

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

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

Mythology & Folklore

Wið dweorh man sceal niman VII lytle oflætan, swylce
man mid ofrað, and writan þas naman on ælcre oflætan:
Maximianus, Malchus, Iohannes, Martimianus, Dioni-
sius, Constantinus, Serafion. þænne eft þæt galdor, þæt
her æfter cweð, man sceal singan, ærest on þæt wynstre
eare, þænne on þæt swiðre eare, þænne bufan þæs mannes
moldan. And ga þænne an mædenman to and ho hit on
his sweoran, and do man swa þry dagas; him bið sona sel.

Her com in gangan, in spiderwiht,
hæfde him his haman on handa, cwæð þæt þu his hæncgest wære,
legde þe his teage an sweoran. Ongunnan him of þæm lande liþan;
sona swa hy of þæm lande coman, þa ongunnan him ða liþu colian.
þa com in gangan dweores sweostar;
þa geændade heo and aðas swor
ðæt næfre þis ðæm adlegan derian ne moste,
ne þæm þe þis galdor begytan mihte,
oððe þe þis galdor ongalan cuþe.
Amen. Fiað.

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

MLA

Anonymous (Old English). “Metrical Charm 3: Against a Dwarf (Old English).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/210/.

Chicago

Anonymous (Old English). “Metrical Charm 3: Against a Dwarf (Old English).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/210/.

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