Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/28

28 (k-d 13)

I saw them, all ten,     treading the turf, the six brothers     and their sisters too, living and lively.     Their skins hung plainly, visibly manifest,     on the wall of the house, each and every one;     nor was any the worse, nor side the sorer,     though thus they must, despoiled of their raiment,     roused by the power of heaven’s Lord,     tear with their mouths the gray-green leaves.     Their garment is renewed; having now come forth     they leave their coverings lying behind them     as they tread the ground.

10

Ic seah turf tredan     x wæron ealra vi gebroþor     ⁊ hyra sweostor mid hæfdon feorg cwico     fell hongedon sweotol ⁊ gesyne     on seles wæge anra gehwylces     ne wæs hyra ængū þy wyrs ne side þy sarra     þeah hy swa sceoldon reafe birofene     rodra weardes meahtum aweahte     muþum slitan haswe blede     hrægl bið geniwad þam þe ær forðcymene     frætwe leton licgan on laste     gewitan lond tredan · :⁊

This was best explained by Mrs. von Erhardt-Siebold in MLN lxv (1950), 97–100. Ten Chickens, in Anglo-Saxon ten ciccenu, having six consonants and four vowels. When they are first hatched their skins cling to the broken shells. Then they begin to eat and are soon covered with down.