Review Copy
Exeter Book Riddles
he Exeter Book manuscript of Old English poetry ends with two sections of short verse riddles. The manuscript is damaged and it is impossible to know how many riddles were in the original collection, but it is likely that there were 100, following the model of the popular Latin Enigmata (Riddles) of Aldhelm and Symphosius. But apart from this, there are few similarities between the Latin and English versions of this popular poetic genre. The Enigmata of Aldhelm were apparently used as classroom examples of the principles of Latin versification, but it is unlikely that the English Riddles would have served such a purpose for apprentice English poets. Moreover, very few of the English Riddles depend on the sort of deliberate obscurity common in the Enigmatano. 82 below is an example, but it is closely modeled on one of the Latin Riddles of Symphosius. Many of the Exeter Book Riddles echo one anothers language, especially in the repeated closing line saga hwt ic hatte say what I am called, but it is unlikely that the whole collection was written by one person. Apart from one Riddle which is found in an earlier version, there is little evidence for the origins and audience of the Riddles, either individually or collectively. A number of the Riddles seem to come from a bookish milieu, probably monastic (see nos. 24 and 45), and others are somewhat philosophical in tone (no. 41), but the presence of about a dozen riddles with obscene double meanings (see nos. 42 and 43 below) still raises a few eyebrows. Unlike the Latin riddles, which give away their solutions in their titles, some of the Old English riddles are apparently meant to be genuinely puzzling and difficult to solvein fact a few (such as no. 91 below) continue to baffle readers to this day. In many cases, however, the pleasure of the Riddles seems to lie not in obscurity but in observationthey are in essence short lyric poems which show the world at a slightly odd angle, and bring the material and the natural world to new life through metaphor, analogy, wordplay, and misdirection. In the Riddles creatures speak, things express their point of view, everyday objects perform heroic deeds, and innocent household items become obscene projections of human desire. The playful language of the Riddles is a kind of lens through which the wonder, poignancy and wild energy of the created world are brought into focus. Whether they were written for education, inspiration, or amusement, the delight of the Riddles lies in their gift for seeing familiar things with fresh eyes, and compressing these insights in a few short lines which draw the listener into sharing the process of that perception; they help remind us that the poetic landscape of Old English literature was not as gloomy, as pious, or as bloody as is sometimes thought.
zzz
Riddle 5 1
Sometimes my song-coat and the supple wind Cradle me high over the homes of men, And the power of clouds carries me Windward over cities. Then my bright silks Start to sing, whistle, roar, Resound and ring, while I Sail on untouched by earth and sea, A spirit, ghost and guest, on wing.
M
1
y gown is silent as I thread the seas, Haunt old buildings or tread the land.
The following riddles are from Craig Williamsons A Feast of Creatures: Anglo-Saxon Riddle Songs (Philadelphia: U of Pennsylvania Press, 1982). The Old English text is edited by Craig Williamson, The Old English Riddles of the Exeter Book (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1977). The numbers are those of Williamsons edition and translation.
10
Review Copy
38
Exeter Book Riddles
Riddle 12
5
O
5
10
15
nce I was a plain warriors weapon Now a stripling prince wraps my body With bright twists of silver and gold. Sometimes men kiss me, or carry me to battle Where I call my lords companions to wage war. Bright with jewels, I am borne by a horse Over hard plains, sometimes by the sea-stallion Over storm waves. Sometimes a woman, Ring-adorned, fills my breast for the table Later I lie stripped of sweet treasure, Hard and headless on the long boards. Clothed in gold, I may grace the wall Where men sit drinking, a soldiers gem. Wound with silver, I sometimes ride A warriors horse, swallowing soldiers breath, Blasting battle-song. Sometimes I bring Bold men to wine, sometimes I sing caution Or rescue thieves catch or scatter foes For my lord. Say what I am called.
10
15
20
25
Riddle 23
Stretched me bare in the tight sun; The hard blade, clean steel, cut, Scraped-fingers folded, shaped me. Now the birds once wind-stiff joy Darts often to the horns dark rim, Sucks wood-stain, steps back again With a quick scratch of power, tracks Black on my body, points trails. Shield-boards clothe me and stretched hide, A skin laced with gold. The bright song Of smiths glistens on me in filigree tones. Now decorative gold and crimson dye, Cloisoned jewels and a coat of glory Proclaim the worlds protector far and wide Let no fool fault these treasured claims. If the children of men make use of me, They will be safer and surer of heaven, Bolder in heart, more blessed in mind, Wiser in soul: they will find friends, Companions and kinsmen, more loyal and true, Nobler and better, brought to new faith So men shall know grace, honor, glory, Fortune, and the kind clasp of friends. Say who I amglorious, useful to men, Holy and helpful from beginning to end.
I
5
10
am a wonderful help to women, The hope of something to come. I harm No citizen except my slayer. Rooted I stand on a high bed. I am shaggy below. Sometimes the beautiful Peasant's daughter, an eager-armed, Proud woman grabs my body, Rushes my red skin, holds me hard, Claims my head. The curly-haired Woman who catches me fast will feel Our meeting. Her eye will be wet.
Riddle 41
A
5
Riddle 24
life-thief stole my world-strength, Ripped off flesh and left me skin, Dipped me in water and drew me out,
10
15
noble guest of great lineage dwells In the house of man. Grim hunger Cannot harm him, nor feverish thirst, Nor age, nor illness. If the servant Of the guest who rules, serves well On the journey, they will find together Bliss and well-being, a feast of fate; If the slave will not as a brother be ruled By a lord he should fear and follow Then both will suffer and sire a family Of sorrows when, springing from the world, They leave the bright bosom of one kinswoman, Mother and sister, who nourished them. Let the man who knows noble words Say what the guest and servant are called.
Review Copy
Exeter Book Riddles
39
Riddle 42
small miracle hangs near a mans thigh, Full under folds. It is stiff, strong, Bold, brassy, and pierced in front. When a young lord lifts his tunic Over his knees, he wants to greet With the hard head of this hanging creature The hole it has long come to fill.
Riddle 82
A
5
weird creature came to a meeting of men, Hauled itself in to the high commerce Of the wise. It lurched with one eye, Two feet, twelve hundred heads, A back and bellytwo hands, arms, Shouldersone neck, two sides. Untwist your mind and say what I mean.
Riddle 43
heard of something rising in a corner, Swelling and standing up, lifting its cover. The proud-hearted bride grabbed at that boneless Wonder with her hands; the princes daughter Covered that swelling thing with a swirl of cloth.
Riddle 91
I
5
I
5
Riddle 45
A
5
moth ate songswolfed words! That seemed a weird dishthat a worm Should swallow, dumb thief in the dark, The songs of a man, his chants of glory, Their place of strength. That thief-guest Was no wiser for having swallowed words.
10
am noble, known to rest in the quiet Keeping of many men, humble and high born. The plunderers joy, hauled far from friends, Rides richly on me, shines signifying power, Whether I proclaim the grandeur of halls, The wealth of cities, or the glory of God. Now wise men love most my strange way Of offering wisdom to many without voice. Though the children of earth eagerly seek To trace my trail, sometimes my tracks are dim. 10th century
Riddle 81
hunning silence, my house is loud While I am quiet: we are movement bound By the Shapers will. I am swifter, Sometimes strongerhe is longer lasting, Harder running. Sometimes I rest While he rolls on. He is the house That holds me livingalone I die.
S
5
Solutions: 5, swan; 12, horn (for drinking or hunting); 23, penis or onion; 24, manuscript book (Bible), made of parchment; 41, soul and body; 42, key; 43, dough; 45, book-moth; 81, fish and river; 82, a one-eyed seller of garlic; 91 unsolved.
Old English Riddles
A limited vocabulary accompanies each riddle; words not given here are obvious or can be found a) in your textbook or b) in Popes Eight Old English Poems. Resist the temptation to look up the answers and try to figure them out on your own (Ill give the answers in class).
Riddle 66 (Nature)
Ic eom mare onne es middangeard, lsse onne hondwyrm, leohtre onne mona, swiftre onne sunne. Ss me sind ealle flodas on fmum ond es foldan bearm, grene wongas. Grundum ic hrine, helle underhnige, heofonas oferstige, wuldres eel, wide rce ofer engla eard, eoran gefylle, ealne middangeard ond merestreamas side mid me sylfum. Saga hwt ic hatte. I am greater that this middle-earth Smaller than an insect, brighter than the moon, Swifter than the sun. All the seas, the floods, Are in my embrace (for me) and the bosom of the land, The green fields. I touch the ground, Sink under hell, rise above heaven, The homeland of glory; I reach far and wide Over the land of angels; I fill the world All middle-earth and the ocean-streams With (me) myself. Say what Im called.
4-fmum (fm, m) embrace, arms. 4-bearm (m) lap, bosom, breast; possession. 5-wonga (see wang, m) 5-hrine (hrnanI + dat.) touch, reach. 6-underhnige (underhnganI), sink under. 6-oferstige (see ge-stgan). 10-side (adv) amply.
Riddle 69 (Ice)
Wundor wear on wege; wter wear to bane. A wondor happened at sea; water became bone.
1-on wege (w, m) at sea. 1-bane (bn, n) bone.
Riddle 76 (Chicken?)
Ic ane geseah idese sittan. I saw a maiden sitting alone.
1-idese (f) maiden
Riddle 44 (Key)
Wrtlic honga bi weres eo, frean under sceate. Foran is yrel. Bi sti ond heard, stede hafa godne; onne se esne his agen hrgl ofer cneo hefe, wile t cue hol mid his hangellan heafde gretan t he efenlang r oft gefylde. A delicate thing hangs about a mans thigh, Under the masters cloak. Theres a hole in the front. Its stiff and hard, and has a good position; When the man lifts his own cloak Over his knee, he wants to find that familiar hole With his hanging thing, which of equally length He often filled before.
1-wrtlic (adj), delicate, elegant, ornate thing. 1-honga (hangianII) hang. bi (see be + dat.). 1-eo (oh, n) thigh. 2-sceat (m) cloak. 2- yrel (n) hole 2- Foran (adv) in front of it. 4-onne (when). 4-esne (m) man. 4-his agen, his own. 5-hrgl (n) clothing, vestment, robe. 5-hefe (hebban6) heave, lift, raise. 5-cue (adj) known, familiar. 6-hangellan (adj) hanging thing. 7-t (which). 7-efenlang (adj) equally long.
Riddle 45 (Dough)
Ic on wincle gefrgn weaxan nathwt, indan ond unian, ecene hebban; on t banlease bryd grapode, hygewlonc hondum, hrgle eahte rindende ing eodnes dohtor. I have heard about something or other growing in a nook, Swelling and standing out, lifting up its covering; A woman grabbed onto that boneless thing, Proud-hearted with her hands [and] the masters daughter Covered that rising thing with her apron.
1-wincel (m) corner. 1-gefrgn: pret 3s of gefrignan3, to find out. 1-nathwt (adj/pron) something or other. 1-weaxanI (to wax), to grow. 2-indan3, to swell. 2-unianII, to stand out, be prominent. 2-hebban6, to lift up 2-ecene (ecen, f) thatch, tile, covering. 3-banlease (adj. fem.acc.sing) boneless. 3-bryd (f) woman. 3- grapode (grapanII), grip, grab. 4-hygewlonc (adj) proud-hearted. 4- hrgle (her it probably means apron). 4-eahte (past. 3s eccan), cover, conceal. 5-rindende (rintan3) swell.
Greek and Latin Enigmata
Riddles from the Greek Anthology : 5. , ; ; . [I am the black child of a white father; a wingless bird, flying even to the clouds of heaven; To mourning pupils that meet me I give birth to tears; and at once on my birth I am dissolved into air.] 14. ; ; ; . [One wind, two ships, ten sailors rowing, and one steersmen directs both.] The Riddles of Symphosius: 1. Graphium De sumno planus sed non ego planus in imo Uersor utrimque manu; diuerso munere fungor: Altera pars reuocat quidquid pars altera fecit. 1. Flat on top but not flat on the bottom, Flipped either way by the hand; I perform a diverse function: One part takes back what the other has done. 2. Harundo Dulcis amica ripae, semper uicina profundis, Suaue cano Musis; nigro perfusa colore, Nuntia sum linguae digitis signata magistris. 2. Beloved friend of the river-bank, ever near the depths, I sweetly sing for the Muses. When bathed in black hew, I am the tongues herald, pressed by masters fingers.
