POSTS FROM THE EXETER BOOK RIDDLES
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79 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91

Commentary for Exeter Riddle 78
Exeter Riddles 79 and 80

Ic eom æþelinges æht ond willa.
Ic eom æþelinges eaxlgestealla,
fyrdrinces gefara, frean minum leof,
cyninges geselda. Cwen mec hwilum
hwitloccedu hond on legeð,
eorles dohtor, þeah hio æþelu sy.
Hæbbe me on bosme þæt on bearwe geweox.
Hwilum ic on wloncum wicge ride
herges on ende; heard is min …

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Solution: Horn, Falcon, Hawk, Spear, Sword, Scabbard
Commentary for Exeter Riddles 79 and 80
Exeter Riddle 81

Ic eom byledbreost, belcedsweora,
heafod hæbbe ond heane steort,
eagan ond earan ond ænne foot,
hrycg ond heardnebb, hneccan steapne
ond sidan twa, sag[ol]* on middum,
eard ofer ældum. Aglac dreoge,
þær mec wegeð se þe wudu hrereð,
ond mec stondende streamas beatað,
hægl se hearda, ond hrim þeceð,
[.]orst …

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Solution: Weathercock, Ship, Visored helmet
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 81
Exeter Riddle 82

Wiht is [………………….
……] gongende, greate swilgeð,
[…………………….
……] fell ne flæsc, fotum gong[..
………………………..]eð,
sceal mæla gehwam [……………………….]

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Solution: Crab, harrow
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 82
Exeter Riddle 83

Frod wæs min fromcynn […]
biden in burgum, siþþan bæles weard
[…] wera lige (1) bewunden,
fyre gefælsad. Nu me fah warað
5 eorþan broþor, se me ærest wearð
gumena to gyrne. Ic ful gearwe gemon
hwa min fromcynn fruman agette
eall of eard; ic him yfle ne mot,
ac …

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Solution: Ore; metal; gold; coins; revenant; spirit
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 83
Exeter Riddle 84

An wiht is on eorþan wundrum acenned,
hreoh ond reþe, hafað ryne strongne,
grimme grymetað ond be grunde fareð.
Modor is monigra mærra wihta.
5 Fæger ferende fundað æfre;
neol is nearograp. Nænig oþrum mæg
wlite ond wisan wordum gecyþan,
hu mislic biþ mægen þara cynna,
fyrn forðgesceaft; fæder ealle …

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Solution: Water
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 84
Exeter Riddle 85

Nis min sele swige, ne ic sylfa hlud
ymb * * *(1) unc dryhten scop
siþ ætsomne. Ic eom swiftre þonne he,
þragum strengra, he þreohtigra.
Hwilum ic me reste; he sceal yrnan forð.
Ic him in wunige a þenden ic lifge;
gif wit unc gedælað, me bið deað witod.

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Solution: Fish and River, Body and Soul
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 85
Exeter Riddle 86

Wiht cwom gongan þær weras sæton
monige on mæðle, mode snottre;
hæfde an eage ond earan twa,
ond II fet, XII hund heafda,
hrycg ond wombe ond honda twa,
earmas ond eaxle, anne sweoran
ond sidan twa. Saga hwæt ic hatte.

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Solution: One-eyed Seller of Garlic (yes, really…)
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 86
Exeter Riddle 87

Ic seah wundorlice wiht; wombe hæfde micle,
þryþum geþrunge. Þegn folgade,
mægenstrong ond mundrof; micel me þuhte
godlic gumrinc; grap on sona,
heofones toþe * * *
bleowe on eage; hio borcade,
wancode willum. Hio wolde seþeah
niol……

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Solution: Bellows
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 87
Exeter Riddle 88
Ic weox þær ic s[……………………
……..]ond sumor mi[…………….
……………]me wæs min ti[…..
……………………
5 …]d ic on staðol[………………..
……….]um geong, swa[……….
……………..]seþeana
oft geond [………………..]fgeaf,
ac ic uplong stod, þær ic [………]
10 ond min broþor; begen wæron hearde.
Eard wæs þy weorðra þe wit on stodan,
hyrstum þy hyrra. …
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Solution: Antler, Inkhorn, Horn, Body and Soul
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 88
Exeter Riddle 89
[………………………………] se wiht,
wombe hæfde [……………….
………..]tne, leþre wæs beg[…….
………………………]on hindan.
Grette wea[…………………..
………………...] listum worhte,
hwilum eft [……………………
………..…] þygan, him þoncade,
siþþan u[………………………
….] swæsendum swylce þrage.
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Solution: Too fragmentary to guess, though Bellows and Leather Bottle have been tentatively suggested
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 89
Exeter Riddle 90
Mirum videtur mihi – lupus ab agno tenetur;
obcu[..]it agnus * * *(1) et capit viscera lupi.
Dum starem et mirarem, vidi gloriam magnam:
duo lupi stantes et tertium tribulantes –
quattuor pedes habebant; cum septem oculis videbant.
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Solution: Lamb of God, Web and Loom, Candelabra
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 90
Exeter Riddle 91
Min heafod is homere geþuren,
searopila wund, sworfen feole.
Oft ic begine þæt me ongean sticað,
þonne ic hnitan sceal, hringum gyrded,
5 hearde wið heardum, hindan þyrel,
forð ascufan þæt mines frean
mod · ᚹ · freoþað middelnihtum.
Hwilum ic under bæc bregde nebbe,
hyrde þæs hordes, þonne min …
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Solution: Key, Keyhole
Commentary for Exeter Riddle 91