Introduction
In order to have firm subject matter I conduct my
own investigations into the lives of the common people in Saxon England,
bringing various materials and ideas together. Recently I have been trying my
hand at translating some lessor Anglo-Saxon healing documents known as ‘Fly Leaf
Leechdoms’.
This poem was inspired by an incomplete charm (MS.
Cott. Yitell. E. xviii., fol. 13 b).
The charm begins: ‘This is to cure
thy cattle’ and goes on to mention the casting down of sticks inscribed with the
Paternoster. Using this as a point of departure I have substituted runes in
place of the prayer and added various expressions from other lessor charms
(that I have translated) to produce the basis of this piece.
Glossary:
Galdor - a spell or
charm to be sung or chanted
Scucca - goblins or
demons
Shippon - a cow shed
(were you a farmer you might know this one)
Wight - a land
spirit.
To charm a cow
This thou shalt use,
to cure mickle cattle,
Against a pale
ghost, or fiend do battle.
If cow be addled, by
dwarf or dark elf,
Sing this charm to
bring, thine cow back to health.
Shield from
shadow-goer, Scucca sent in night,
Chant this charm to
cure, thy addled cow blight.
Thou must sing to
beast, each evening of three,
This galdor sing
thrice, over them chant thee.
Galdor
With white
rune wand from, old oaken bower,
I doth
thee charge with, Wodan’s wise power.
Be shielded from wrath, and ever made well,
Undamaged by poisons, or magic spell.
By power of runes, on long oaken stave,
From wrath and cruel curse,
this heifer to save.
I Sing solemn spell, to the
power of three,
From flying venom, this will
protect thee.
May runes be
inscribed, on old oaken sticks,
On three edges thou,
inscribe them betwixt.
Against flying
venom, rude runes to write,
For thee to banish,
this unwelcome wight.
Take thou all three
staves, into thy shippon.
Cast two wands
about, the ground there upon,
Across door
threshold, let to fall the last,
For magic galdor, to
be wholly cast.
Copyright Andrew Rea November 2013
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