Work Text:
Fragment 1
Old English
... scræfstapa gesawon hafað
ond mæg me mænan swa micle ðæt weox,
afol ond onlicness aglæcan laþlices?
þa cwæð Æpelle, Eonusisc smið,
fruma ond fyrmesta frætwewyrhtena:
'Ic þone angenga, in eaganbearhtme,
felahiwedan feond seah.
Hafde on hrycge haman stearcan,
stanheard searonet, strang wið ecgum;
wundres weard wlom was fæted.
Ne swealt oþþe sweðrode ac snella gewæt
þonne ic mid leohtbogan, leomawyrperan,
sceoc in sceadum, sceat þone laþne.'
þa þæt mann maðelode mære to larcræfte,
cuþ orþancum, Kirces gesiða,
Sareces sunu, Spoc Healf-Vulcan:
'Gif soþu beoð spelu stanbuendes,
swa mine gefræge, mæla ond stæla
færniða frecene fremdene wihte,
þonne swa swift swa secgest se soþlic sceal beon.
Ac hafde ic hyrde, þæt heaðufyr ne mæge
derian oþþe sceðan, þonne daroð swiceð,
missað ða mearce, þæt modhus unfæge.'
Eft hleoþrode hlaford Eonena:
'Ne hildeleoma hæleþa swicode,
ne sefa to secge, ne sierce aglæcan,
deofole on deorcnese, delfera banan.
Grundlæstas gangan ða gomelas nyllan;
smiþþa beoð stilla, stanas unceorfode,
ligeð iren in eorðan eall forlætan,
gold in græfe, grægan beorge.
Wæron fifteg geferan forburnen be attre,
secgas ond smiþas ond Smittere ðegn,
be ligum liccode, lichoman gemulton.
Sceoldon þolian þearfe þeode Hordwyrhtera
magas gemunan, murnan gesiðas,
oþþæt cwellest ðu, Kirc, cwealmcumen laðne,
þæt gryrefah swebbest, sorh gebidan.'
þa cwæð Æppelle Kirce, lidfrean
æðelan tungolscipes Ellendæd haten:
'Mid cenum cempan comen bist ðu,
lide lixungwrogen, leohtbogum miclum,
þa ða strengest sela forslitan meahten,
benc-þel byrnan; ac beaduleoman,
tungolscip þine otþþe tirfæst werod,
dyrstige duguð, ne dugon in scræfum.'
Kirc maþelode...
Fragment 2
þeah hafde gehaten hæleð delfera,
gebeotodon lidmanna bealdre, Kirke,
þæt hie in scrafu ne steppan wolde,
ne folgian þa stiga fotgemearces ma.
þa sloh Æppele anne wigendra
heard be handum-- hilderinc Kirkes
on flet þa feoll, forleos his wæpen.
Eonusisc beorn Iotto hnossode,
fæhða gemunde ond feond gesoht.
þa ða guðrinca eall on grundstanum læg,
to wæpne fengon fætwewyrtan,
wolde hie wrecan wine-magas deore.
Fragment 1
Modern English
...has seen the cave-stepper, and can relate to me how great that one has
grown, the power and appearance of the loathsome monster?"
Then Appel, the Janan smith, first and foremost among the treasure-workers,
said, "I saw the lone-goer, the many-colored fiend, in the twinkling of an
eye. It had on its back a strong garment, a stone-hard mail-coat, strong
against swords; the protector of the marvel was ornamented with fringes. It
did not dwindle or die, but departed quickly, hastened into the shadows,
when I shot the foe with a light-bow, light-thrower [phaser]."
Then that man renowned for knowledge, known for cleverness, spoke: Kirk's
companion, Sarek's son, Spock Half-Vulcan. "If the reports about the times
and places of the dangerous sudden attacks of the alien creature are true,
as I have heard, then that one must truly be as swift as you say. But I
have heard that battle-fire might not be able to harm or injure when the
bolt fails, misses the target, the undoomed body."
Again, the lord of the Janans cried out: "The battle-light [phaser] did not
fail for the warrior, nor his courage for the man, nor the armor for the
monster, the devil in darkness, the slayer of miners. The men do not want
to walk the ground-paths; the smithies are still, the stones uncut. Iron
lies all abandoned in the earth, gold in the grave, the gray barrow. Fifty
companions were burned to death by the venom, warriors and smiths and the
thegn Schmitter; their bodies melted, licked by flames. The people of the
hoard-workers must endure distress, remember their kinsmen, mourn their
companions, experience sorrow, until you, Kirk, kill the hostile
killing-comer, slay that one terrible in its variegated coloring."
Then Appel said to Kirk, to the captain of that lordly starship called
Enterprise, "You have come with bold warriors, a ship wrapped in
brilliance, great battle-lights [phasers] which could cut open the strongest
of halls, burn the bench-floors; but battle-lights, your starship, even the
renowned troop, the daring host, will not avail you in the caves."
Kirk spoke...
Fragment 2
Modern English
... although the miners had promised Kirk, vowed to the lord of the shipmen,
that they would not go into the cave, not follow the steep trail a
foot-space more. Then Appel struck one of the warriors hard with his hands--
Kirk's warrior fell then on the floor, lost his weapon. A Janan man struck
Giotto, remembered the feud and sought the fiend. Then when all of the
warriors lay on the foundation-stones, the treasure-workers took up weapons,
wanted to avenge their dear companions.
-end-