Ofer Wídne Gársecg is an Old English song written by J.R.R. Tolkien, to be sung to the tune of The Mermaid. It is published as the 15th song in Songs for the Philologists in 1936.
The song is reprinted with Modern English translation "Across the Broad Ocean" in The Road to Middle-earth by T.A. Shippey. Corrections and notes made by Tolkien himself (after the printing of the Songs) are noted below.
Poem excerpt
Ofer Wídne Gársecg [note 1]
Þa ofer wídne gársecg wéow unwidre ceald,
Sum hagusteald on lagu féoll on nicera geweald.
He legde lást swa fýres gnást, he snude' on sunde fléah, [note 2]
Oþþæt he métte meremenn déopan grunde néah.
La! hwæt, ic Gárdena on géardagum geseah,
Þéodcyninga-ninga-ninga þrym and —
brýdealoþ under brimfaroþ déopan grunde néah!
Þæt merewíf þá of stóle úplang héo gestód, [note 3]
Mid fágum fintan fægniende: wæs hire grétung gód. [note 4]
Héo smearciende smǽre' hie wendeþ, tǽhte hire hand; [note 5]
'Nú, wilcuma, lá, hláford mín, on meremanna land!'
La! hwæt, ic Gárdena on géardagum onfand,
Þéodcyninga-ninga-ninga þrym and —
brýdealoþ under brimfaroþ on meremanna land.
Translation by Shippey
Across the Broad Ocean
When the cold blast was blowing across the broad ocean, a young man fell into the sea, into the power of the monsters. As fast as fire he made his way, he swam along so quickly — until he met the mermen near the deep sea-bottom.
— Listen, I have seen the power of the kings of the people of the Spear-Danes in days gone by [note 6] — and also the bridal beneath the sea, near the deep sea-bottom!
Notes
- ↑ [JRRT's note to the corrected version:] An OE version of ‘Twas in the broad Atlantic in the equinoctial gales That a young fellow fell overboard among the sharks and whales’
- ↑ [JRRT corr. from:] He legde last swa fyres gnast, and snude on sunde fleah,
- ↑ [JRRT corr. from:] Þæt merewif hine greteþ, and uplang heo gestent;
- ↑ [JRRT corr. from:] Mid fagum fintan fægniende fægre finnas þenþ.
- ↑ [JRRT corr. from:] And smearciende smære' hie wendeþ, tæceþ hire hand;
- ↑ This is a quotation from the first few words of Beowulf. One might paraphrase the refrain as saying that Tolkien wished for other epics more firmly centred on monster.
References