Riddle 12

Ed. Murray McGillivray. Online Corpus of Old English Poetry (OCOEP). Completed edition. This file last updated 16/5/08.

Fotum ic fere,     foldan slite,
grene wongas,     þenden ic gæst bere.
Gif me feorh losað,     fæste binde
swearte wealas,     hwilum sellan men.

5

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,

10

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

15

ond æfter deaþe     dryhtum þeowige.