CHARM FOR A SUDDEN STITCH
text and facing translation
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last updated on 28-August-2002
| Wið færstice feferfuige and seo reade netele, ðe þurh ærn inwyxð, and wegbrade; wyll in buteran. |
| Against a sudden stitch: feverfew and the red nettle which grows in through a building, and waybread [plantain]; boil in butter. |
| Hlude wæran hy, la, hlude, ða hy ofer þone hlæw ridan, |
| Loud were they, lo, loud, as they rode over the barrow, |
| wæran anmode, ða hy ofer land ridan. |
| they were determined, as they rode over the land. |
| Scyld ðu ðe nu, þu ðysne nið genesan mote. |
| Shield yourself now, that this strife you may escape. |
| Ut, lytel spere, gif her inne sie! |
| Out, little spear, if herein it be! |
| Stod under linde, under leohtum scylde, |
5 | (I) stood under linden, under a light shield, |
| þær ða mihtigan wif hyra mægen beræddon |
| where mighty women proclaimed their power |
| and hy gyllende garas sændan; |
| and, yelling, they sent spears; |
| ic him oðerne eft wille sændan, |
| To them another I wish to send back, |
| fleogende fla{ne} forane togeanes. |
| a flying dart against (them) in return. |
| Ut, lyte{l} spere, gif hit her inne sy! |
10 | Out, little spear, if herein it be! |
| Sæt smið, sloh seax, |
| A smith sat, hammered a knife, |
| lytel iserna, wund swiðe. |
| small iron, serious wound. |
| Ut, lytel spere, gif her inne sy! |
| Out, little spear, if herein it be! |
| Syx smiðas sætan, wælspera worhtan. |
| Six smiths sat, they forged slaught-spears. |
| Ut, spere, næs in, spere! |
15 | Out, spear, be not in, spear! |
| Gif her inne sy ise{r}nes dæl, |
| If herein be a piece of iron, |
| hægtessan geweorc, hit sceal gemyltan. |
| witches' work, it must melt. |
| Gif ðu wære on fell scoten oððe wære on flæsc scoten |
| If you were shot in the skin or were shot in the flesh |
| oððe wære on blod scoten, <oððe wære on ban scoten,> |
| or were shot in the blood, or were shot in the bone, |
| oððe wære on lið scoten, næfre ne sy ðin lif atæsed; |
20 | or you were shot in the limb, may your life never be injured; |
| gif hit wære esa gescot oððe hit wære ylfa gescot |
| if it were gods' shot or it were elves' shot |
| oððe hit wære hægtessan gescot, nu ic wille ðin helpan. |
| or it were witches' shot, now I will to help you. |
| Þis ðe to bote esa gescotes, ðis ðe to bote ylfa gescotes, |
| This is to you the remedy for gods' shot, this is to you the remedy for elves' shot, |
| ðis ðe to bote hægtessan gescotes; ic ðin wille helpan. |
| this is to you the remedy for witches' shot; I will help you. |
| Fle{oh} þær <....> on fyrgenh{ea}fde. |
25 | Fly there into the mountain-head. |
| Hal westu, helpe ðin drihten! |
| Be whole (now)! may the Lord help you! |
| Nim þonne þæt seax, ado on wætan. |
| Then take the knife, place in the liquid. |