Metrical Charm 12: Against a Wen
By Unknown
Wenne, wenne, wenchichenne,
her ne scealt þu timbrien, ne nenne tun habben,
ac þu scealt north eonene to þan nihgan berhge,
þer þu hauest, ermig, enne broþer.
He þe sceal legge leaf et heafde.
Under fot wolues, under ueþer earnes,
under earnes clea, a þu geweornie.
Clinge þu alswa col on heorþe,
scring þu alswa scerne awage,
and weorne alswa weter on anbre.
Swa litel þu gewurþe alswa linsetcorn,
and miccli lesse alswa anes handwurmes hupeban,
and alswa litel þu gewurþe þet þu nawiht gewurþe.
Notes:
Original text dates c. 1000-1100, by an unknown author. Source language text is public domain.
“Metrical Charm 12: Against a Wen” The Complete Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Poetry. Evinity Publishing Inc, n.d. https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/ascp/index.htm.