|
Ic wiht geseah on wege feran,
|
|
A
strange creature ran on a rippling road,
|
|
|
seo wæs wrætlice wundrum
gegierwed:
|
|
Its cut was wild, its body bowed,
|
|
|
hæfde feowere fet under wombe
|
|
Four feet under belly, eight on its back,
|
|
|
ond ehtuwe
|
|
Two wings, twelve eyes, six heads, one
track.
|
|
|
monn h w M wiif m x l kf wf hors qxxs ufon on hrycge;
|
5 |
It cruised the waves decked out like a bird,
|
5 |
|
hæfde tu fiþru ond twelf
eagan
|
|
But was more--the shape of a horse, man,
|
|
|
ond siex heafdu. Saga hwæt
hio wære.
|
|
Dog, bird, and the face of a woman--
|
|
|
For
flodwegas; ne wæs þæt na fugul ana,
|
|
Weird riddle-craft riding the drift of words--
|
|
|
ac þær wæs æghwylces
anra gelicnes
|
10 |
Now sing the solution to what you've heard.
|
|
|
horses ond monnes, hundes ond fugles,
|
|
|
|
|
ond eac wifes wlite. þu wast,
gif þu const,
|
|
|
|
|
to gesecganne, þæt we soð
witan--
|
|
|
|
|
hu þære wihte wise gonge.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|