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.
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