Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/13

13 (k-d 55)

I saw in the hall     where heroes drank a thing of four kinds     borne on the wall. splendid forest tree,     and twisted gold, skilfully wound treasure,     and part of it silver; and the sign of the cross    of Him who raised us step by step     up to heaven before he stormed     the castle of Hell’s people. I can readily report     on the excellence of the wood: there was maple and oak     and tough yew and the dark holly.     They are all together a help to good men.     One name they have: Wolf-head Tree,     that often afforded a weapon for its lord,     a treasure in the hall, a gold-hilted sword.     Now show me the answer of this my song,     whoever may presume to say in words     how the wood is called.

10

Ic seah In heall     þær hæleð druncon on flet beran     feower cynna wrætlic wudutreow     ⁊ wunden gold sinc searobunden     ⁊ seolfres dæl ⁊ rode tacn     þæs us to roderum ūp hlædre rærde     ær he helwara burg abræce     Ic þæs beames mæg eaþe for eorlum     æþelu secgan · þær wæs hlin ⁊ acc ·     ⁊ se hearda iw · ⁊ se fealwa holen     frean sindon ealle nyt ætgædre     naman habbað anne · wulfheafedtreo     þæt oft wæpan abæd his mondryhtne     maðm In healle goldhilted sweord     nu me þisses gieddes ondsware ywe     se hine on mede wordum secgan     hu se wudu hatte

This one is difficult, but the author liked it and called it a song (gied), a poem. The solutions hesitate between Scabbard and Cross; probably both are intended. A sword out of its scabbard may resemble a cross and the Holy Rood was often described as made of four kinds of wood. A wolf-head is an outlaw; the tree therefore a gallows. Altogether, a composite image—scabbard, sword, cross, Holy Rood, gallows on which our Lord was crucified. For additional complication the verb translated “afforded” might also mean “warded off.”