| from "THE WHALE" | lines 1-56 |
| Anon. | trans. Louis Rodrigues (from Anglo-Saxon) |
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Nu ic fitte gen ymb fisca cynn wille woðcræfte wordum cyþan þurh modgemynd bi þam miclan hwale. Se bið unwillum oft gemeted, frecne ond ferðgrim, fareðlacendum, niþþa gehwylcum; þam is noma cenned, fyrnstreama geflotan, Fastitocalon. Is þæs hiw gelic hreofum stane, swylce worie bi wædes ofre, sondbeorgum ymbseald, særyrica mæst, swa þæt wenaþ wægliþende þæt hy on ealond sum eagum wliten, ond þonne gehydað heahstefn scipu to þam unlonde oncyrrapum, sælaþ sæmearas sundes æt ende, ond þonne in þæt eglond up gewitað collenferþe, ceolas stondað bi staþe fæste, streame biwunden. Ðonne gewiciað werigferðe, faroðlacende, frecnes ne wenað, on þam ealonde æled weccað, heahfyr ælað hæleþ beoþ on wynnum, reonigmode, ræste geliste. Þonne gefeleð facnes cræftig þæt him þa ferend on fæste wuniaþ, wic weardiað wedres on luste, ðonne semninga on sealtne wæg mid þa noþe niþer gewiteþ garsecges gæst, grund geseceð, ond þonne in deaðsele drence bifæsteð scipu mid scealcum. Swa biþ scinna þeaw, deofla wise, þæt hi drohtende þurh dyrne meaht duguðe beswicað, ond on teosu tyhtaþ tilra dæda, wemað on willan, þæt hy wraþe secen, frofre to feondum, oþþæt hy fæste ðær æt þam wærlogan wic geceosað. Þonne þæt gecnaweð of cwicsusle flah feond gemah, þætte fira gehwylc hæleþa cynnes on his hringe biþ fæste gefeged, he him feorgbona þurh sliþen searo siþþan weorþeð, wloncum ond heanum, þe his willan her firenum fremmað mid þam he færinga, heoloþhehne biþeaht, helle seceð, goda geasne, grundleasne wylm under mistglome, swa se micla hwæl, se þe bisenceð sæliþende eorlas ond yðmearas. He hafað oþre gecynd, wæterþisa wlonc, wrætlicran gien. Þonne hine on holme hungor bysgað ond þone aglæcan ætes lysteþ, ðonne se mereweard muð ontyneð, wide weleras; cymeð wynsum stenc of his innoþe. þætte oþre þurh þone, sæfisca cynn, beswicen weorðaþ, ... ................. ................. |
Now a fitt about a kind of fish I will frame by my wit, a song with words about the mighty whale. To their sorrow he is often found by seafarers, fierce and cruel to every man; this name is given to the ocean-floater: Fastitocalon. His shape is like a rough stone, as if great sea-weeds, girt by sandbanks, floated by the shore, so that seafarers suppose their eyes behold an isle; and then secure their high-prowed ships by anchor-ropes to that false land; stall their sea-steeds at the water's edge, and then go up into that isle, stouthearted; their ships stand fast by the shore, engirt by streams. Then the weary mariners encamp, expecting no harm; on that isle, they kindle fire, build a great blaze; the men, worn out, gladly long for rest. When he, skilled in treachery, feels the sailors settled firm upon him, encamped, enjoying the clear weather, then suddenly the ocean-spirit dives down with his prey into the salt wave, seeks the depths, and in the death-hall tries to drown ships and crews. Such is the wont of demons, the way of devils, that, living, they betray men through dark might, draw them to ruin of their good deeds, entice them to pleasure; so that they seek solace from foes, till they firmly choose a dwelling with the devil there. When from his hell-torment the false impious fiend knows that any one of the human race is firmly fixed on his round form, he then becomes the slayer by artful sleights, of high and low, who, in wickedness, work his will here; with these he quickly, helmet-hidden, void of virtue, seeks hell, the bottomless surge, under misty gloom, even as the mighty whale who sinks seafaring men and ships. Bold water-rusher, he has yet another wondrous trait. When hunger harries him on the wave and the creature craves for food, then the sea-warden opens his mouth, his wide lips; a winsome smell comes from within him so that other kinds of fish are thereby deceived. ....................... ....................... |
Transl. copyright © Louis J. Rodrigues, 1996 - publ. Llanerch Publishers
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