Page:Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book (1963).djvu/69

 ## s53 ##

I was an armed fighter. Now a young home-dweller covers me proudly with twisted wires, with gold and silver. Sometimes men kiss me. Sometimes with my song I summon to battle happy comrades. Sometimes a steed carries me over the marches. Sometimes a sea-horse bears me over waves with my bright trappings. Sometimes a maiden fills my ring-adorned bosom. Sometimes I must lie hard and headless stripped on the tables. Sometimes I hang, with ornaments proud, on the wall where men drink. Sometimes a good weapon, the warriors bear me, riding on horseback, with treasure laden, I must breathe in the breath of a man&rsquo;s breast. Sometimes with my music I summon proud warriors to drink their wine. Sometimes with my voice I rescue the booty, put foe to flight. Ask me my name.

Horn, described under various aspects marked by the &ldquo;Sometimes&rdquo; repeated ten times in nineteen lines: on the head of a steer, as war-horn (also on ships), as drinking horn, as hunting horn, as warning against thieves. &ldquo;Ring-adorned,&rdquo; l. 8, &lsquo;adorned with a necklace.&rsquo;


 * 1) s54 ##

I am atheling&rsquo;s shoulder-companion, a warrior&rsquo;s comrade, dear to my master, a fellow of kings. His fair-haired lady sometimes will lay her hand upon me,