Metrical Charm 6: For Delayed Birth

Sacred Texts Legends and Sagas WordGumbo: Old English Dictionaries [External Site] Index Previous Next Metrical Charm 6: For Delayed Birth Verse Indeterminate Saxon - Se wifman, se hire cild afedan ne mæg, gange to gewitenes mannes birgenne and stæppe þonne þriwa ofer þa byrgenne and cweþe þonne þriwa þas word: þis me to bote þære laþan lætbyrde, - 5 - þis me to bote þære swæran swærbyrde, þis me to bote þære laðan lambyrde. And þonne þæt wif seo mid bearne and heo to hyre hlaforde on reste ga, þonne cweþe heo: Up ic gonge, ofer þe stæppe - 10 - mid cwican cilde, nalæs mid cwellendum, mid fulborenum, nalæs mid fægan. And þonne seo modor gefele þæt þæt bearn si cwic, ga þonne to cyrican, and þonne heo toforan þan weofode cume, cweþe þonne: - 15 - Criste, ic sæde, þis gecyþed! Se wifmon, se hyre bearn afedan ne mæge, genime heo sylf hyre agenes cildes gebyrgenne dæl, wry æfter þonne on blace wulle and bebicge to cepemannum and cweþe þonne: Ic hit bebicge, ge hit bebicgan, - 20 - þas sweartan wulle and þysse sorge corn. Se wifman, se ne mæge bearn afedan, nime þonne anes bleos cu meoluc on hyre handæ and gesupe þonne mid hyre muþe and gange þonne to yrnendum wætere and spiwe þær in þa meolc and hlade þonne mid þære ylcan hand þæs - 25 - wæteres muð fulne and forswelge. Cweþe þonne þas word: Gehwer ferde ic me þone mæran maga þihtan, mid þysse mæran mete þihtan; þonne ic me wille habban and ham gan. þonne heo to þan broce ga, þonne ne beseo heo, no ne eft - 30 - þonne heo þanan ga, and þonne ga heo in oþer hus oþer heo ut ofeode and þær gebyrge metes.