Song of Loðbrok

Modern English

Crown-King of Gothland | flew to Alba’s gold.

Winter’s North wind follows | for one touch of venom.

Snake’s tongue whispers five | sons who raze the voice

Of a wild rose with | the scent of an Anglii

Middle English

The cherche brother | flew in the blue.

The chur-cheh broh-ther | flew in the blue. (church)

Father art longsword | climben the Frank thrown

Fah-ther art lohng-sword | climb-en the Vrahnk throhwn

Born a grete b*****d, | Williame found

Bohn ah great bahs-tahrd | Will-i-ahm-eh fooond

Alba’s muse art so | the lion sung of ceints

Ahl-bah’s muhse art soh | the li-ohn suhng of ceints (saints)

Old English

Sé déaw dripe béo andfangol | ond sé ágenspræc astidian

Seh dew beoh ahnd-fahng-ol | ohnd seh ah-gehn-sprahc ahstid-ian

Hit cwæÞ æt brimwulf, | hit gesprecen eac sé cráwa

Hiht swahth at brihm-wulv | Hiht gehs-spreh-sehn eahc seh crah-wah

Sé æga áhrise | eac hnátan sylfum merse.

Seh ag-ah ah-rihse | eahc hnah-tahn syl-fum mehre-seh.

benorþanmann ahealdede Bryten | gelíce carte ahealdes pinn

behn-or-thahn-mann ah-heh-ahld-ud-eh Bryt-ehn | geh-lihc-eh cahr-teh ah-heh-ahld-ehs pihn

Song of Loðbrok �" Old English

(The dew drops were his | and the tongue became strong)

(It spoke to the wolf of the lake, | it conversed with the raven)

(The islands shook violently | with a clash of tunes.)

(The Normans held Britain, | like paper holds the pen)