Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/6

6 (k-d 33)

A thing came marvelously     moving over the waves, comely from the keel up.     It called out to the land, loudly resounding.     Its laughter was horrible, awful in its place.     Its edges were sharp; hateful it was,     and sluggish to battle, bitter in its hostile deeds.     It dug into shield-walls, hard, ravaging.     It spread mischievous spells. It spoke with cunning craft     about its creation: “Dearest of women     is indeed my mother; she is my daughter     grown big and strong. It is known to men of old,     among all people, that she shall stand up beautifully     everywhere in the world.”

10

Wiht cwom æfter wege     wrætlico liþan cymlic frō ceole     cleopode to londe hlinsade hlude—     leahtor wæs gryrelic egesful on earde     ecge wæron scearpe wæs hio hetegrim     hilde to sæne biter beadoweorca     bordweallas grof heardhiþende     heterune bond sægde searocræftig     ymb hyre sylfre gesceaft is min modor     mæg da cynnes þæs deorestan     ꝥ is dohtor min eacen uploden     swa þæt is ældum cuþ firum on folce     ꝥ seo on foldan sceal on ealra londa gehwam     lissum stondan

Iceberg, slow but deadly as it damages ships. The mother–daughter relationship is simple: water into ice, ice into water.