Riddle 31

Ed. Murray McGillivray. Online Corpus of Old English Poetry (OCOEP). Completed edition. This file last updated 27/5/07.

Is þes middangeard     missenlicum
wisum gewlitegad,     wrættum gefrætwad.
Ic seah sellic þing     singan on ræcede.
Wiht wæs wrætlic†     werum on gemonge,

5

sio hæfde wæstum     wundorlicran*.
Niþerweard†     wæs neb hyre,
fet ond folme     fugele gelice;
no hwæþre fleogan mæg     ne fela gongan,
hwæþre feþegeorn     fremman onginneð,

10

gecoren cræftum,     cyrreð geneahhe
oft ond gelome     eorlum on gemonge,
siteð æt symble,     sæles bideþ,
hwonne ær heo cræft hyre     cyþan mote
werum on wonge.     Ne heo þær wiht þigeð

15

þæs þe him æt blisse     beornas habbað†
deor domes georn.     Hio dumb wunað.
Hwæþre hyre is on fote     fæger hleoþor,
wynlicu woðgiefu.     Wrætlic me þinceð,
hu seo wiht mæge     wordum lacan

20

þurh fot neoþan,     frætwed hyrstum.
Hafað hyre on halse,     þonne hio hord warað,
bær, beagum deall,     broþor sine,
mæg mid mægne.     Micel is to hycgenne
wisum woðboran,     hwæt sio† wiht sie.