The Complete Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
Riddle 60
Verse Indeterminate Saxon
Ic wæs be sonde, sæwealle neah,
æt merefaroþe, minum gewunade
frumstaþole fæst; fea ænig wæs
monna cynnes, þæt minne þær
5
on anæde eard beheolde,
ac mec uhtna gehwam yð sio brune
lagufæðme beleolc. Lyt ic wende
þæt ic ær oþþe sið
æfre sceolde
ofer meodubence muðleas sprecan,
10
wordum wrixlan. þæt is wundres dæl,
on sefan searolic þam þe swylc ne conn,
hu mec seaxes ord ond seo swiþre
hond,
eorles ingeþonc ond ord somod,
þingum geþydan, þæt ic wiþ
þe sceolde
15
for unc anum twam ærendspræce
abeodan bealdlice, swa hit beorna ma
uncre wordcwidas widdor ne mænden.