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Wulf and Watcher
#book #elegy #english #exeter #forbiddenlove #love #medieval #oldenglish #poem #poetry #seafarer #theseafarer #thewanderer #translation #wanderer #wolf #wulf #eadwacer
Published: 2020-01-03 14:21:14 +0000 UTC; Views: 5667; Favourites: 69; Downloads: 0
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Description
A translation of the Old English poem 'Wulf and Eadwacer'Like ointment to a wound, what salvation would it be
To sink their teeth into his flesh to satisfy their greed.
Such is my kin’s desire, if he invades their company.
We are not the same.
My Wulf dwells on an island shut, another prisons me.
A stronghold forged by natures craft, bound by the marshes’ sea,
ruled by men of cruel mien, with heinous fantasies,
for they wish to stain their blades to satisfy their greed.
We are different.
My thoughts stray after Wulfe’s trail,
When wind and water hide my wail,
When taken by the warrior’s arms,
My body’s bliss, my soul abhors.
Oh Wulf, my Wulf, my starving for thee
Has drained me of spirit, has sickened me,
Marked by thy absence, not hunger for meat.
Listen, Watcher: Wulf has borne
Our whelp into the thicket’s thorns.
What never merged is easily torn:
Our duet rests unsung.
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Comments: 30
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It took me quite a few reads (after reading your description) to understand what is being said here. And now that I do... awww TT That's so sad... I really enjoyed how the narrator characterizes both Eadwacer and Wulf, and how she compares and contrasts the two. It's so cleverly done. Though, of course, your translation plays a role in that too ^^ Thank you, I just love reading older tales such as this. It's so fulfilling 
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Yes, I totally get that (though I shy away from the stuff with epic lenghth. Like, hi there, Beowulf, see you another time, I'm gonna go read The Hobbit instead xD)
Thank you so much for the lovely comment
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Hahaha, that's often true for me as well, to be honest. Sometimes it's better to read something light ;3 And you're very welcome!
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Wonderful! 
Congratulations on your much deserved, DD! 
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on the DD! I think this is wonderful, and appreciate both your translation and your explanations.
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Hello!
Congrats on the Daily Deviation!
Have a nice day and stay safe! ♥
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I was just coming to thank you for the fav, but I say this and it intrigued me. So thanks for translating such a compelling old piece that i would have ever found otherwise. This is a great retelling too. Well done. This is is instant fav!
This si not one of those silly "fav for fav" deals either. This just grabbed me and dragged me in all of its own merit. I also had to fave i since my name is Edward which is almost identical to Eadwacer (Eádweard). After all, guards and watchers are practically synonymous. Although in this poem I would rather NOT be Eadwacer.
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Thank you so much! It makes me very happy that this translation actually has people take interest in the original ^.^
Well, Eadwacer could also be interpreted as the speaker's father or uncle (or any other kind of guardian for that sake), which, you know, it probably still isn't a role you'd want to to find yourself in, but maybe it's a bit better..?^^
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This is amazing. I've been looking into Old English lately but haven't read any texts yet. I'm so happy you translated this!!
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Ah, thank you so much^^
In that case I can only recommend any of the Old English Elegies from the Exeter Book, they are really inspiring poems^^
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Wow, that original definitely looks very little like what English is nowadays. Fantastic work with translating this poem; it's so hard to translate poems so that they can stand on their own.
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Haha, true^^ Apparently, when they hear 'Old English', a lot of people think of Shakespeare, but nope, still one thousand more years back in time please^^ (Old English is actually somewhat closer to German, which gave me some benefits for understanding it^^' )
Thank you so much, for the fave as well
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That's interesting. I must admit that the oldest of English I'd seen before has probably been from Shakespeare's time (which is probably the case for many peopple), so I assumed that was the Old English.
You're welcome!
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Amazing! Translation is truly an art, and this is gorgeous. I remember some of these poems from when I was still an English student and took Brit lit. I wrote a paper on The Wanderer!
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Thank you so much for the kind words
Hehe, nice^^ I have to admit I didn't pay that much attention to the Wanderer. The Seafarer was the star of our course xD
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This sounds like serious hard work and complicated studies. Well done!
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Thank you ^.^
I hope you like the poem aswell xD
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I do! And I know, how difficult translating poems is...
I actually succeded only once, when I wrote a songtext simultaniously in German and Englisch and made it rhyme in both languages.
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Well you also translated some of your Haikus, so there's more^^
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That is true - but then Haikus don't rhyme, you just have to count syllables!
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