Runic Studies for Members and Novices

Fehu

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Wealth causes trouble among relatives
the wolf is raised in the forest

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Wealth be by all very much welcome
each man shall deal it out freely
if he will from the lord get approval

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
Wealth
source of discord among kinsmen
and fire of the sea
and path of the serpent.

fehu Wealth
Cattle
Fires of Creation

Uruz

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Slag comes from poor iron

Often the reindeer runs over hard frozen snow

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
Shower
lamentation of the clouds
and ruin of the hay-harvest
and abomination of the shepherd.

uruz Strength
physical form from spirit
charging forward

Thurisaz

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Thurs causes illness

few rejoice in bad luck.

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
Giant
torture of women
and cliff-dweller
and husband of a giantess.

 

thurisaz Thorn
passive defense (some cost to defender)
Breaking through barriers

Ansuz

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Rivermouth is the way of most journeys
but a scabbard of swords.

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
God
aged Gautr
and prince of Ásgarðr
and lord of Vallhalla.

 

ansuz God (Odin)
Answer

Raidho

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Riding is said to be worse for horses
Regin forged the best sword.

Old Icelandic Rune Poem

Riding
joy of the horsemen
and speedy journey
and toil of the steed.

 

raidho Journey
Cart
traveling of any sort

Kenaz

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Sore is fatal to children
Death makes a corpse pale.

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
Ulcer
disease fatal to children
and painful spot
and abode of mortification.

 

Kenaz Torch
controlled fire
invention

Gebo

Anglo Saxon Rune Poem
Giving to all men brings credit and honor
Help and worthiness
and to every outcast is the estate and substance
that have naught else.

 

gebo Partnership / marriage
Gift
equal exchange

Wunjo

Old Norwegian Rune Poem

Joy is for one who knows little of woe
pain and sorrows and to him who has
power and bliss and buildings good enough.

Anglo Sax Rune Poem

Bliss he enjoys who knows not suffering, sorrow nor anxiety,
and has prosperity and happiness and a good enough house.

 

wunjo Kinship
Joy harmony
working toward common goal

hagalaz

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
hail is the coldest of grains
god created the primaeval world

Anglo Saxon Rune Poem
Hail is the whitest of grain;
it is whirled from the vault of heaven
and is tossed about by gusts of wind
and then it melts into water.

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
Hail
cold grain
and shower of sleet
and sickness of serpents.

hagalaz Hail
Grain
hardship that will prove worthwhile

Naudiz

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Need leaves little choice
the naked man is chilled by frost

Icelandic Rune Poem
Constraint, grief of the bond-maid
and state of oppression
and toilsome work.

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Need is nearest to the breast
yet often proves to children of men
a source of help and healing
if they heed it betimes

 

nauthiz Need
Need-Fire
the necessities that you need

Isa

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Ice we call the broad bridge
the blind man must be led

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
bark of rivers
and roof of the wave
and destruction of the doomed.

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Ice be overcold and unmeasurably slippery
glisteneth clear as glass, to gems likest
a floor by frost wrought, fair to be seen

isa Ice
Concentration
lack of movement

Jera

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
Plenty
boon to men
and good summer
and thriving crops.

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Harvest is a blessing to men
I say that Frodhi was liberal

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Summer is called joyful when god lets
holy heaven's king - shining fruits
be born from earth for rich and poor

 

jera Year
Time
Cycle
Good crops / good year

Eihwaz

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
Yew is bent bow
and brittle iron
and farbauti(a giant) of the arrow

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
The Yew outside is a rough barked tree
but strong and firm guard of fires
by deep roots upheld, joy to the home

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Yew is the greenest of trees in winter
when it burns it sputters

 

Eihwaz Yew
Hunter's Bow
something that bends but does not break
Ullr

Perthro

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
The chess piece means play and laughter
where in the middle the warriors sit
in beerhall blithely together

While not a rune poem per say, this is what Germania 24 has to say
 about warriors sitting and gaming: They play at dice, when sober,
as a serious business: and that with such a desperate venture of pain or loss,
that, when everything else is gone, they set their liberties and persons on the last throw.
The loser goes into voluntary servitude...

 

perthro Laughing at Fate
Accepting doom
Chance

Elhaz

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Elk Sedge [eolh secg] (eel grass?) is found mostly in fens
waxes in water, wounds grimly
with blood burns whatever warrior
that goes to grasp it

 

elhaz Strong Defense
Elk Sedge (eel grass)
Protection

Sowilo

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
shield of the clouds
and shining ray
and destroyer of ice.

Anglo Saxon Rune Poem

The sun is ever a joy in the hopes of seafarers
when they journey away over the fishes' bath,
until the courser of the deep bears them to land.

 

sowilo Sun
motivator
warm hope

Tiwaz

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
god with one hand
and leavings of the wolf
and prince of temples.

Anglo Saxon Rune Poem

Tiw is a guiding star; well does it keep faith with princes;
it is ever on its course over the mists of night and never fails.

 

tiwaz Tyr
Righteousness

Berkano

Old Norse Rune Poem
leafy twig
and little tree
and fresh young shrub.

Old Icelandic

The Poplar bears no fruit;
yet without seed it brings forth suckers,
for it is generated from its leaves.
Splendid are its branches and gloriously adorned
its lofty crown which reaches to the skies.

 

berkano goddess
Birch
Growth / Birth

Ehwaz

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Horse is a joy to princes in presence of earls
horse in pride of its hooves
when rich men, mounted, bandy words
and it is to the restless, ever a comfort

 

 

ehwaz Horse (and rider)
the joy of the rider,
the toil of the horse

Mannaz

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
delight of man
and augmentation of the earth
and adorner of ships.

 

mannaz Enlightened man
fellowship of man

Laguz

Old Icelandic Rune Poem
eddying stream
and broad geysir
and land of the fish.

Old Norwegian Rune Poem
Water is where
a cascade falls from a mountainside
but ornaments are made of gold

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
The sea seems interminable to people
if they shall venture on rolling ship
and the waves of the sea terrify them, and
the sea stallion heeds not its bridle

 

laguz Water
something intimidating
hidden possibility

Ingwaz

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Ing was first among the East Danes
Seen by men, till he to the East
Over waves went, his wain after Ran (goddess of the sea)
Thus the heardings named the hero

ingwaz Container of potential
Lord Freyr

Dagaz

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Day is god's sending, dear to men
The great lord's light means mirth and happiness
to rich and poor, useful to all

 

dagaz Day (new day)
happy new beginning

Othala

Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
An estate is very dear to every man
if he may there rightfully and peacefully
enjoy in the hall frequent harvest

 

othala (Ancestral) Property
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