Riddle 39

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Gewritu secgað         þæt seo wiht sy
mid moncynne         miclum tidum
sweotol ond gesyne.         Sundorcræft hafað
maran micle,         þonne hit men witen.

5

Heo wile gesecan         sundor æghwylcne
feorhberendra,         gewiteð eft feran on weg.
Ne bið hio næfre         niht þær oþre,
ac hio sceal wideferh         wreccan laste
hamleas hweorfan;         no þy heanre biþ.

10

Ne hafað hio fot ne folme,         ne æfre foldan hran,
ne eagena         ægþer twega,
ne muð hafaþ,         ne wiþ monnum spræc,
ne gewit hafað,         ac gewritu secgað
þæt seo sy earmost         ealra wihta,

15

þara þe æfter gecyndum         cenned wære.
Ne hafað hio sawle ne feorh,         ac hio siþas sceal
geond þas wundorworuld         wide dreogan.
Ne hafaþ hio blod ne ban,         hwæþre bearnum wearð
geond þisne middangeard         mongum to frofre.

20

Næfre hio heofonum hran,         ne to helle mot,
ac hio sceal wideferh         wuldorcyninges
larum lifgan.         Long is to secganne
hu hyre ealdorgesceaft         æfter gongeð,
woh wyrda gesceapu;         þæt is wrætlic þing

25

to gesecganne.         Soð is æghwylc
þara þe ymb þas wiht         wordum becneð;
ne hafað heo ænig lim,         leofaþ efne seþeah.
Gif þu mæge reselan         recene gesecgan
soþum wordum,         saga hwæt hio hatte.