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.