POSTS FROM THE EXETER BOOK RIDDLES
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40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

Commentary for Exeter Riddle 39
Response to Exeter Riddle 39
Exeter Riddle 40

Ece is se scyppend, se þas eorþan nu
wreðstuþum wealdeð ond þas world healdeð.
Rice is se reccend ond on ryht cyning
ealra anwalda, eorþan ond heofones,
5 healdeð ond wealdeð, swa he ymb þas utan hweorfeð.
He mec wrætlice worhte æt frymþe,
þa he þisne ymbhwyrft ærest sette,
heht …

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Solution: Creation
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 40
Exeter Riddle 41

…. edniwu;
þæt is moddor monigra cynna,
þæs selestan, þæs sweartestan,
þæs deorestan þæs þe dryhta bearn
5 ofer foldan sceat to gefean agen.
Ne magon we her in eorþan owiht lifgan,
nymðe we brucen þæs þa bearn doð.
Þæt is to geþencanne þeoda gehwylcum,
wisfæstum werum, hwæt seo wiht …

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Solution: Water, Wisdom, Creation
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 41
Exeter Riddle 42

Ic seah wyhte wrætlice twa
undearnunga ute plegan
hæmedlaces; hwitloc anfeng
wlanc under wædum, gif þæs weorces speow,
5 fæmne fyllo. Ic on flette mæg
þurh runstafas rincum secgan,
þam þe bec witan, bega ætsomne
naman þara wihta. Þær sceal Nyd wesan
twega oþer ond se torhta æsc
10 an …

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Solution: N N Æ A A H H = hana & hæn, or Cock and Hen
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 42
Exeter Riddle 43

Ic wat indryhtne æþelum deorne
giest in geardum, þam se grimma ne mæg
hungor sceððan ne se hata þurst,
yldo ne adle. Gif him arlice
5 esne þenað, se þe agan sceal
on þam siðfate, hy gesunde æt ham
findað witode him wiste ond blisse,
cnosles unrim, care, gif se …

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Solution: Soul and Body
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 43
Exeter Riddle 44

Wrætlic hongað bi weres þeo,
frean under sceate. Foran is þyrel.
Bið stiþ ond heard. Stede hafað godne.
Þonne se esne his agen hrægl
5 ofer cneo hefeð, wile þæt cuþe hol
mid his hangellan heafde gretan
þæt he efenlang ær oft gefylde.

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Solution: Key and lock, Phallus, Dagger sheath
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 44
Exeter Riddle 45

Ic on wincle gefrægn weaxan nathwæt,
þindan ond þunian, þecene hebban.
On þæt banlease bryd grapode,
hygewlonc hondum. Hrægle þeahte
5 þrindende þing þeodnes dohtor.

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Solution: Dough
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 45
Exeter Riddle 46

Wær sæt æt wine mid his wifum twam
ond his twegen suno ond his twa dohtor,
swase gesweostor, ond hyra suno twegen,
freolico frumbearn; fæder wæs þær inne
5 þara æþelinga æghwæðres mid,
eam ond nefa. Ealra wæron fife
eorla ond idesa insittendra.

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Solution: Lot and his family
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 46
Exeter Riddle 47
Moððe word fræt. Me þæt þuhte
wrætlicu wyrd, þa ic þæt wundor gefrægn,
þæt se wyrm forswealg wera gied sumes,
þeof in þystro, þrymfæstne cwide
5 ond þæs strangan staþol. Stælgiest ne wæs
wihte þy gleawra, þe he þam wordum swealg.
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Solution: Book-worm, Book-moth, Maggot and psalter
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 47
Exeter Riddle 48

Ic gefrægn for hæleþum hring gyddian, (1)
torhtne butan tungan, tila þeah he hlude
stefne ne cirmde, strongum wordum.
Sinc for secgum swigende cwæð:
5 “Gehæle mec, helpend gæsta.”
Ryne ongietan readan goldes
guman galdorcwide, gleawe beþencan
hyra hælo to gode, swa se hring gecwæð.

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Solution: Paten, Chalice, Sacramental vessel
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 48
Exeter Riddle 49

Ic wat eardfæstne anne standan,
deafne, dumban, se oft dæges swilgeð
þurh gopes hond gifrum lacum.
Hwilum on þam wicum se wonna þegn,
5 sweart ond saloneb, sendeð oþre
under goman him golde dyrran,
þa æþelingas oft wilniað,
cyningas ond cwene. Ic þæt cyn nu gen
nemnan ne wille, þe …

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Solution: Oven, Beehive, Falcon Cage, (Book)case, Pen and ink, Barrow, Sacrificial altar, Millpond and sluice
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 49
Exeter Riddle 50

Wiga is on eorþan wundrum acenned
dryhtum to nytte, of dumbum twam
torht atyhted, þone on teon wigeð
feond his feonde. Forstrangne oft
5 wif hine wrið; he him wel hereð,
þeowaþ him geþwære, gif him þegniað
mægeð ond mæcgas mid gemete ryhte,
fedað hine fægre; he him fremum stepeð
…

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Solution: Fire, Anger, Dog
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 50
Exeter Riddle 51

Ic seah wrætlice wuhte feower
samed siþian; swearte wæran lastas,
swaþu swiþe blacu. Swift wæs on fore,
fuglum framra fleag on lyfte;
5 deaf under yþe. Dreag unstille
winnende wiga, se him wegas tæcneþ
ofer fæted gold feower eallum.

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Solution: Pen and fingers