Arts & Sciences
Riddle 12 (Old English)
From The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, ed. Krapp and Dobbie, vol. III (1936)
Fotum ic fere, foldan slite,
grene wongas, þenden ic gæst bere.
Gif me feorh losað, fæste binde
swearte Wealas, hwilum sellan men.
Hwilum ic deorum drincan selle
beorne of bosme, hwilum mec bryd triedeð
felawlonc fotum, hwilum feorran broht
wonfeax Wale wegeð ond þyð,
dol druncmennen deorcum nihtum,
wæteð in wætre, wyrmeð hwilum
fægre to fyre; me on fæðme sticaþ
hygegalan hond, hwyrfeð geneahhe,
swifeð me geond sweartne. Saga hwæt ic hatte,
þe ic lifgende lond reafige
ond æfter deaþe dryhtum þeowige.
Codex Note
Old English text as in ASPR; hand-keyed e-text via sacred-texts.com.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Old English). “Riddle 12 (Old English).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/83/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Old English). “Riddle 12 (Old English).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/83/.
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