Riddle 29

english translation

Riddle 29

I saw a rare      and wondrous creature—
she abducted light,    bounteous treasure,
in a war-fight.     The light was a beacon
captured, burgeoning      between sickle horns,
then carried to a glister-castle     she would build,
night-bower all aglow,      mysterious, adorned.
Then, over the eastern roof      came a marvel
known well to earth dwellers.     He took to his breast
the treasure-hoard      and sent to her bed,
deprived of power,      the hapless marauder.
Heart-weak, the creature      sadly rambled west.
Dust flared up to heaven,      dew fell to earth,
night moved on.      Nor could any man say, after
she departed, where      that lustrous wonder roamed.

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original Anglo-Saxon poem

Riddle 29 — Anglo-Saxon Original

Ic wiht geseah     wundorlice
hornum bitweonum     huζe lΦdan,
lyftfΦt leohtlic,     listum gegierwed,
huζe to ζam ham     of ζam heresiζe;
walde hyre on ζΦre byrig     bur atimbran,
searwum asettan,     gif hit swa meahte.
wa cwom wundorlicu wiht    ofer wealles hrof,
seo is eallum cuξ    eorξbuendum,
ahredde ζa ζa huζe     ond to ham bedraf
wreccan ofer willan—    gewat hyre west ζonan
fΦhζum feran,     forξ onette.
Dust stonc to heofonum,  deaw feol on eorζan,
niht forξ gewat.     NΦnig siζζan
wera gewiste     ζΦre wihte siξ.