Sacred Texts  Legends and Sagas  WordGumbo: Old English Dictionaries [External Site]
Index  Previous  Next 

Riddle 32

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Is þes middangeard      missenlicum
wisum gewlitegad,      wrættum gefrætwad.
Siþum sellic      ic seah searo hweorfan,
grindan wið greote,      giellende faran.
5
Næfde sellicu wiht      syne ne folme,
exle ne earmas;      sceal on anum fet
searoceap swifan,      swiþe feran,
faran ofer feldas.      Hæfde fela ribba;
muð wæs on middan.      Moncynne nyt,
10
fereð foddurwelan,      folcscipe dreogeð,
wist in wigeð,      ond werum gieldeð
gaful geara gehwam      þæs þe guman brucað,
rice ond heane.      Rece, gif þu cunne,
wis worda gleaw,      hwæt sio wiht sie.