Metrical Charm 4: For a Sudden Stich

Sacred Texts Legends and Sagas WordGumbo: Old English Dictionaries [External Site] Index Previous Next Metrical Charm 4: For a Sudden Stich Verse Indeterminate Saxon - Wið færstice feferfuige and seo reade netele, ðe þurh ærn inwyxð, and wegbrade; wyll in buteran. Hlude wæran hy, la, hlude, ða hy ofer þone hlæw ridan, wæran anmode, ða hy ofer land ridan. - 5 - Scyld ðu ðe nu, þu ðysne nið genesan mote. Ut, lytel spere, gif her inne sie! Stod under linde, under leohtum scylde, þær ða mihtigan wif hyra mægen beræddon and hy gyllende garas sændan; - 10 - ic him oðerne eft wille sændan, fleogende flane forane togeanes. Ut, lytel spere, gif hit her inne sy! Sæt smið, sloh seax lytel, iserna, wundrum swiðe. - 15 - Ut, lytel spere, gif her inne sy! Syx smiðas sætan, wælspera worhtan. Ut, spere, næs in, spere! Gif her inne sy isernes dæl, hægtessan geweorc, hit sceal gemyltan. - 20 - Gif ðu wære on fell scoten oððe wære on flæsc scoten oððe wære on blod scoten oððe wære on lið scoten, næfre ne sy ðin lif atæsed; gif hit wære esa gescot oððe hit wære ylfa gescot oððe hit wære hægtessan gescot, nu ic wille ðin helpan. - 25 - þis ðe to bote esa gescotes, ðis ðe to bote ylfa gescotes, ðis ðe to bote hægtessan gescotes; ic ðin wille helpan. Fleoh þær on fyrgenheafde. Hal westu, helpe ðin drihten! Nim þonne þæt seax, ado on wætan.