Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/77

77 (k-d 54)

A youth came along     to where he knew she stood in a corner.     Forth he strode, a vigorous young man,     lifted up her own dress with his hands,     thrust under her girdle something stiff     as she stood there; worked his will;     both of them shook. A thane hurried up,     useful at times, a capable servant;     nonetheless he grew tired from time to time,     though strong at first, weary with work.     Beneath the girdle there began to grow     what often good men love heartily     and buy with money.

10

Hyse cwom gangan ·     þær he hie wisse stondan · In winc sele     stop feorran to hror hægstealdmon     hof his agen hrægl hondum up ·     rand under gyrdels hyre stondendre     stiþes nathwæt worhte his willan     wagedan buta þegn onnette     wæs þragum nyt · tillic esne     teorode hwæþre æt stunda · gehwam     strong ær þon hie ō · werig þæs weorces     hyre weaxan ongon under gyrdelse     þæt oft gode men ferðþum freogað     ⁊ mid feo bicgað

The answer is Churn, Anglo-Saxon cyren, a feminine noun. This makes for an awkward handling of the pronouns: “she” is too obvious; “it” too misleading.