Page:Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book (1963).djvu/73

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I war oft against wave and fight against wind, do battle with both, when I reach to the ground, covered by the waters. The land is strange to me. I am strong in the strife if I stay at rest. If I fail at that, they are stronger than I and forthwith they wrench me  and put me to rout. They would carry away what I ought to defend. I withstand them then if my tail endures and the stones hold me fast. Ask what my name is.

Anchor.


 * 1) s58 ##

Beautifully made in many ways is this our world, cunningly adorned. Marvelous is its motion, I saw this device grind against the gravel, crying out as it went. This marvelous thing had no sight nor feeling, neither shoulders nor arms. One foot only had this curious device to journey along on, to move over the fields. It had many ribs, its mouth was midway. Useful to mortals, it bears abundance of food to the people, brings them plenty and pays to men annual tribute which all enjoy, the high and the lowly. Explain if you can, who are wise in words, what this thing may be.

It is a Ship. Its one foot is the keel; the rest is easy. The verbal repetitions are in the original. The first two lines are a formula, as