Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/1

1 (k-d 1)

What good man is    so learned and so clever that he can say who drives me    forth on my way? When I rise up strong    at times furious, I thunder mightily    and again with havoc I sweep over the land,    burn the great hall, ravage the buildings.    Smoke mounts on high dark over the rooftops.    Clamor is everywhere, sudden death among men.    When I shake the forest, the trees proud in their fruit,    I fell the boles. With my roof of water,    by the powers above I am driven far and wide    on my avenging path. I bear on my back    what once covered the forms of the earth-dwellers,    their body and soul together in the waters.    Say what covers me or what I am called    who bear this burden.

10

Hwylc is hæleþa þæs horsc    ⁊ þæs hygecræftig ꝥ þæt mæge asecgan    hwa mec on sið wræce þōn ic astige    strong stundū reþe þrymful þunie    þragum wræce fere geond foldan    folcsalo bærne ræced reafige    recas stigað haswe ofer hrofū    hlǐn bið on eorþan wælcwealm wera    þōn Ic wudu hrere bearwas bledhwate    beamas fylle holme gehrefed    heanū meahtum wrecan on waþe    wide sended hæbbe me on hrycge    ꝥ ær hadas wreah foldbuendra    flæsc ⁊ gæstas somod on sunde    saga hwa mec þecce oþþe hu ic hatte    þe þa hlæst bere :⁊

A storm of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning on land. Ll. 12–14 refer to the Biblical Flood.