Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/20

20 (k-d 9)

In those first days     my father and mother left me for dead:     there was no life yet, no life within me.     Then a kindly kinswoman faithfully covered me     with her own clothing, held me and cherished,     kept me warmly, even as gently     as her own children— until beneath her,     as my destiny willed, I waxed into life     with my alien fellows. My friend and protector     nourished me then till I grew and grew able     to go forth by myself. Because of this now     her own dear children, sons and daughters,     were fewer, alas.

10

Mec on þissum dagū     deadne ofgeafum fæder ⁊ modor     ne wæs me feorh þa gen ealdor in innan     þa mec ongon welhold me     gewedum weccan heold ⁊ freoþode     hleosceorpe wrah snearlice     swa hire agen bearn oþþæt ic under sceate ·     swa min gesceapu wæron ungesibbum wearð     eacen gæste mec seo friþemæg     fedde siþþan oþþæt ic aweox     widdor meahte siþas asettan     heo hæfde swæsra þy læs suna ⁊ dohtra     þy heo swa dyde

Cuckoo certainly. The pleasure is not so much in guessing—we are not asked to guess—as in following the double meanings.