Anonymous
Riddle 3 (“A moth ate words; a marvellous event”)
A moth ate words; a marvellous event
I thought it when I heard about that wonder,
A worm had swallowed some man's lay, a thief
In darkness had consumed the mighty saying
With its foundation firm. The thief was not
One whit the wiser when he ate those words.
[Riddle 3 in Old English]
Moooe word frret. Me pret puhte
wrretlicu wyrd, pa ic pret wundor gefrcegn,
pret se wyrm forswealg wera gied sumes,
peof in pystro, prymfsestne cwide
ond pzes strangan stapol. Stselgiest ne wres
wihte py gleawra, pe he pam wordum swealg.