Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/24

24 (k-d 12)

I move on my feet,     I break up the ground, the green meadows,     as long as I live. If life leaves me     I then bind fast the swarthy Welsh,     and sometimes better men. Sometimes I give drink     to a strong man from out of my bosom.     Sometimes the stately dame treads me underfoot.     Sometimes the Welsh girl, dark-haired slave     brought from afar, stupid and drunk,     on dark nights lifts me and presses me,     soaks me in water, warms me sometimes     kindly by the fire, her wanton hands     thrust in my bosom; turning often     sweeps through the dark. Say what my name is     who living ravage the land, and dead     am of service to men.

10

Fotum ic fere     foldan slite grene wongas     þenden ic gæst bere gif me feorh losað     fæste binde swearte wealas,     hwilum sellan men hwilum ic deorum     drincan selle beorn of bosme     hwilum mec bryd triedeð felawlonc fotum     hwilum feorran broht wonfeax wale     wegeð ⁊ þyð dol druncmennen     deorcum nihtū wæteð in wætre     wyrmeð hwilum fægre to fyre     me on fæðme sticaþ hygegalan hond     hwyrfeð geneahhe swifeð me geond sweartne     Saga hwæt ic hatte þe ic lifgende     lond reafige ⁊ æfter deaþe     dryhtum þeowige

Leather; first on the living ox, then made into thongs, wine bottles, and shoes, which are cleaned by the Welsh slave. But “sweeps” in l. 13 is Chaucer’s word swive and probably carries a salacious innuendo.