Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/3

3 (k-d 29)

I saw a being     in wondrous wise hold its plunder     between its horns, a vessel of light,     of shining beauty, bringing it home,     a spoil of battle. It wished to build     a bower in the burg and cunningly place it     —if so might be. Then a wondrous being     came over the roof, known to all children     of mortal men, recovered the spoil     and then brought back the unwilling exile.     Westward it went, hurrying home     after the battle. Dust rose to the skies;     dew fell on the ground; night departed     and none thereafter knew its way,     whither it went.

10

Ic wiht geseah     wundorlice horna abitweonū     huþe lædan lyftfæt leohtlic     listrum gegierwed huþe to þam ham     of þā heresiþe walde hyre on þære byrig     bur atimbram searwum asettan     gif hit swa meahte · ða cwom wundorlicu wiht     ofer wealles hrof seo is eallum cuð     eorðbuendum ahredde þa þa huþe     ⁊ to ham bedræf wreccan ofer willan     gewat hyre west þonan fæhþum feran     forð o netteð dust stonc to heofonum     deaw feol on eorþan niht forð gewat     nænig siþþan wera gewiste     þære wihte sið

Some strange solutions have been proposed, but the correct one is no doubt the monthly contest of Sun and Moon. The plunder is the old moon in the new moon’s arms. The moon would like to make itself a home in the heavens, but the familiar sun comes up and the moon is routed.