Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/49

49 (k-d 5)

I am a lonely thing,     wounded with iron, smitten by sword,     sated with battle-work, weary of blades.     Often I see battle, fierce combat.     I foresee no comfort, no help will come for me     from the heat of battle, until among men     I perish utterly; but the hammered swords     will beat me and bite me, hard-edged and sharp,     the handiwork of smiths, in towns among men.     Abide I must always the meeting of foes.     Never could I find among the leeches,     where people foregather, any who with herbs     would heal my wounds; but the sores from the swords     are always greater with mortal blows     day and night.

10

Ic eom anhaga     iserne wund bille gebennad     beadoweorca sæd ecgum werig     oft ic wig seo frecne feohtan     frofre ne wene ꝥ mec geoc cyme     guðgewinnes ær ic mid ældum     eal for wurde ac mec hnossiað     homera lafe heardecg heoroscearp     ⁊weorc smiþa bitað in burgū     ic abidan sceal laþran gemotes     næfre læce cynn · onfolc stede     findan meahte þara þe mid wyrtum     wunde gehælde, ac me ecga dolg     eacen weorðað þurh deaðslege     dagum ⁊ nihtum ᛋ

Beneath this the manuscript has the rune for S (scyld or scutum) which gives the answer: Shield.