Wulf and Eadwacer

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• published: 30 Jul 2012
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Is he her lover? is he a tribesman? is he an outlaw? is he a wolf? This video won one of the four Juried Awards at the Machinima Expo 2012. Text in Old English and fuller translation below. Fuller credits: "Enter the Maze," by composer Kevin MacLeod (royalty free creative commons: incompetech.com) Clothing and architecture by Freja from Folkvang "Brother Wolf" headdress by Hat Mechanic Wolf avatar by Timber Wild Industries filmed in Second Life at "Hyperreal" "Wulf and Eadwacer" is one of the most enigmatic Old English poems. It was called the "First Riddle of Cynewulf" (because it starts the riddle section in the Exeter Book) until it was decided that it was part of a longer story told obscurely. All we really know about it is that it is one of only two Old English poems that speak from a woman's point of view, in her voice, and that she has had some relationship with someone or several someones named Wulf and/or Eadwacer. And that any film made of it pins it down, regrettably, to one interpretation. Where I could, I've tried to suggest ambiguity. My translation, my reading in Old English. Text: Leodum is minum swylce him mon lac gife willað hy hine aþecgan gif he on þreat cymeð ungelic is us. wulf is on iege ic on oþerre fæst is þæt eglond fenne biworpen sindon wælreowe weras þær on ige willað hy hine aþecgan gif he on þreat cymeð ungelice is us. wulfes ic mines widlastum wenum dogode þonne hit wæs renig weder ond ic reotugu sæt þonne mec se beaducafa bogum bilegde wæs me wyn to þon wæs me hwæþre eac lað wulf, min wulf wena me þine seoce gedydon þine seldcymas murnende mod nales meteliste gehyrest þu eadwacer uncerne earne hwelp bireð wulf to wuda þæt mon eaþe tosliteð þætte næfre gesomnad wæs uncer giedd geador Literal translation with double meanings on several of the words: It is as if someone gave my people sport/play/sacrifice/battle (lac) Will they/they will receive/take in/consume (aðecgan) him if he comes into the troop. [possibly related to þicgen, "eat like an animal"; i.e., fressen vs. essen] It is different for us/(he is unlike us ??) Wulf is on an island, I on another. Fast is that island surrounded by fen. Slaughter-greedy men are there on the/that? isle. Will they/they will receive/take in/consume/devour him if he comes to the troop. It is different for us/he is different from us I thought (hogode?) of my Wulf's widely laid tracks with hopes OR: I suffered (dogode?) the hopes of my Wulf (during) his far travelings OR: I "dogged" (dogode?) with hopes my Wulf's widely-laid tracks. When it was rainy weather and I sat tearful Then the battle-ready warrior embraced me in his arms (bogum) OR: Then the battle-ready warrior sheltered me with boughs (bogum) OR: Then the battle-ready warrior embraced me with his shoulders (said of an animal's forequarters: bogum. The world for "arm" in Old English is earm) Wulf my wulf, hopes for you have made me sick, your seldom-comings a mourning heart, not at all meatlessness (lack of food). Do you hear Property Watcher? (Eadwacer) OR: You hear, Property Watcher! Wulf/a wolf will bear our wretched cub to the woods. So that one easily tears apart what never was joined, Our song/poem/riddle/union (giedd) together. The VIMEO version has my emendations and fuller credits: https://vimeo.com/46722122