Ides Ælfscýne is an Old English song written by J.R.R. Tolkien, to be sung to the tune of Daddy Neptune. It is published as the 12th song in Songs for the Philologists in 1936.
The song is reprinted with Modern English translation "Elf-fair Lady" in The Road to Middle-earth by T.A. Shippey. Corrections made by Tolkien himself (after the printing of the Songs) are noted below.
It mentions several things that might be precursory to the legendarium: elf, dwarf, exile, a great gem in the sky.
Poem excerpt
Ides Ælfscýne
Þa ǽr ic wæs cniht, þa cóm ic on pliht:
Sum mægden mé métte ond mǽlde: [note 1]
'Lá, léofa, wes hál! Sceal uncer gedál
nú nǽfre má weorðan on eorðan!'
Nó má weorðan on eorðan. (bis)
Wá! ides ælfscýne, ond wá, wine míne!
Sceal nǽfre má weorðan on eorðan.
Héo cyste me sóna, þær líxte se móna;
on clommum me clypte ond sǽlde;
on ofste me nóm mid hire' under glóm,
þær sceadugong ǽfre wæs wǽfre,
wælmist ǽfre wæs wǽfre. (bis)
Wá! ides ælfscýne, ond wá, wine míne!
Þær sceadugong ǽfre wæs wǽfre.
Translation by Shippey
Elf-fair Lady
Before I was so much as a boy, I came into danger; a maiden met me and said: 'Greetings, my darling, from now on the two of us must never be separated on earth'
— never be separated on earth. Alas! elf-fair lady, and my friend, alas! must never more be separated on earth.
She kissed me straight away, where the moon was shining, she embraced me and bound me in her grasp. Quickly she took me with her under the gloom, where the shadow-way always flickered
— where the death-mist always flickered. Alas! elf-fair lady, and my friend, alasl where the shadow-way always flickered.
Notes
- ↑ [JRRT corr. from:] Þa mette me mægden ond mælde:
References