The Icelandic Rune Poem

Aibhilin inghean Daibhidh

040186BR
Division I: Dramatic Performance/Poetic Recitation
Iceland
1500
Setting: Middle Class/education

Summary
The Icelandic Rune Poem is a mnemonic poem based on the first 16 characters of the Runic Alphabet.
It is dated to the 15th century, with the earliest known manuscript dating to circa 1500. The poem
consists of 16 stanza, each including the Rune name followed by 3 kennings (metaphorical phrases)
which describe the poem. Some have interpreted the poem as a type of riddle, however, this
metaphorical language was representative of Skaldic poetry (a type of poetry developed in Iceland
which followed strict rules and used dense metaphorical language).
The Icelandic Rune Poem is written in Old Icelandic, however, it is important to note that at this time
period, there was little to no distinction between Old Norse and Old Icelandic. Icelandic evolved out of
Old Norse around this time period, but the changes in the language have been so minor that modern
day Icelandic speakers can still read Old Norse with only moderate difficulty.
The poem will be performed not as a poet performs a poem, due to the limited information on poets and
poetry during this time period, but instead as a scholar reading through manuscripts might read aloud a
poem he found for another scholar to share an interesting find.

Table of Contents
Summary....................................................................................................................................................2
Icelandic Poetry..........................................................................................................................................4
Eddic Poetry..........................................................................................................................................4
Skaldic Poetry........................................................................................................................................4
Rmur.....................................................................................................................................................4
Icelandic Rune Poem.............................................................................................................................5
The Runic Alphabet...............................................................................................................................5
The Manuscript......................................................................................................................................5
Icelandic Rune Poem and Translation...................................................................................................6
Old Icelandic..............................................................................................................................................8
Early 16th century Scandinavian Attire.....................................................................................................9
Performance Style....................................................................................................................................10
Difficulties, Compromises, and Commentary..........................................................................................10

Icelandic Poetry
There are three major types of Icelandic poetry. Eddic poetry, Skaldic poetry, and Rmur. Eddic poetry
is simpler in both style and language. Skaldic poetry, on the other hand is highly stylized with strict
rules, complicated meters, and highly metaphorical language. Finally, Rmur is a style of rhyming
poetry that developed out of Eddic and Skaldic poetry.
Eddic Poetry
Eddic poetry is an older form of poetry used from early in the Norse area and likely came to Iceland
when the original Norse settlers did. Poetry by Eddic authors is often anonymous and contains exciting
tales of Norse gods and ancient heroes. The meter is simple and the language used more
straightforward. While Eddic poetry was less metaphorical and more literal, it did rely heavily on
alliteration rather than an end rhyme popular in other cultures.
Skaldic Poetry
Skaldic poetry, like Eddic poetry, relied heavily on alliteration. However, unlike Eddic poetry, Skaldic
poetry was exemplified by complicated metaphorical passages known as kennings. Kennings consist of
phrases composed of two nouns that represent another noun, or another concept. For example, instead
of saying rain, a Skaldic poety may say tears of the gods and instead of saying grass a poet may
say hair of the earth. Kennings may also have deeper levels, and instead of being descriptive of a
noun, they may describe a different idea of phrase. For example, the kennings 'enemy of gold' refers to
a man who does not like gold and gives it away: a generous man (Hurstwic).
Beyond the use of methaphorical Kennings, Skaldic poetry also had strict meter requirements and rules
governing use of alliteration. In a set of lines, there must be alliteration between elements, a certain
stress pattern forming the meter, and internal rhyme elements. An example used by Hurstwic is below:
The stressed syllables are underlined; the alliteration is
Hrammtangar ltr hanga
hrynvirgil mr brynju
boldfaced; and the internal rhyme is italicized.
(From Egils saga Skallagrmsson on Hurstwick)
This example shows a couplet following several rules such as: there must be 6 syllables per line, 3
stressed and with the final syllable unstressed; there must be two alliterative elements on the first line;
there must be internal rhyme in each line (Hurstwick). The stress pattern is followed as the two lines
follow the pattern Stress, Unstressed, Unstressed, Stress, Stress, Unstress (3 stresses, final syllable
unstressed). The h sound is alliterated twice in the first line and ones in the second. There is internal
rhyme between the first word of each line with the last word of each line.
Rmur
Rmur developed in the 14th century out of Skaldic and Eddic poetry. Unlike Skaldic and Eddic poetry,
which did not follow an external rhyme scheme (Skaldic had only internal rhyme), Rmur used rhyme.
Most Rmur were epic poems, often based on stories that were already written. This style grew in
popularity through the end of period, whereas Skaldic and Eddic poetry became less popular after the
14th Century. Iceland until this time had been relatively isolated, and in the 14th century, it was
marginally under the rul of Norway. Later in the 14th century, Norway, and with it Iceland, came under

the rule of the Danish crown, and was heavily influenced by the works of other countries (Central Bank
of Iceland).
Icelandic Rune Poem
The Icelandic Rune Poem, written in Old Icelandic, is one of 3 poems written as a mnemonic device
for remembering the Runic Alphabet, also known as the Futhark (after the first 6 letters). It is similar to
more modern alphabet rhymes, such as Tom Thumb's Alphabet which begins A was an archer, who
shot at a frog. B was a butcher, and had a great dog. The other two Rune poems are in Old Norse (The
Norwegian Rune poem), which is the earliest recorded Rune Poem and the shortest and most simple,
and in Old English (The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem), which is the longest Rune Poem. It is possible that
these Rune poems shared a common 'ancestor' and were further developed in these different cultures
languages prior to being written down (Dickins). However, each Rune poem was first recorded in
different years and has distinctly different elements, despite many similarities.
The Icelandic Rune Poem was written in the 15th century. It was first recorded in a manuscript dating
circa 1500. The poem addresses the first 16 characters in the Runic alphabet, in order, though other
letterss existed by this time period. Thus there are 16 stanza. Each stanza follows the same format and
consists of three kennings. The lines are connected via alliteration of the first and second kenning,
while the third kenning has internal alliteration.
Each of the kennings offers ideas and elements that describe the stanza's rune. Some have referred to
this style almost as a riddle from which the rune name can be derived (Page). For example, the first
rune name fe means 'wealth'. This rune is then described as discord among kinsmen and fire of the
sea (Svenson). The connections are more abstract than they are literal, befitting the Icelandic poetic
style. Some stanzas contain slightly more literal descriptions, but even those have the underlying
metaphorical complexities, such as the second stanza rune name Ur (shower) described as
lamentation of the clouds (Svenson).
The Runic Alphabet
The Runic Alphabet, also known as the Futhark, is an early writing system dating from as early as the
1st century, with a majority of examples from around the 11th century. Many runic inscriptions are short
statements carved into stone or wood. Typical early examples of the Runic Alphabet include short
written statements such as 'Hrothgar was here or Belongs to Hrothgar, grave inscriptions and

religions inscriptions. The Norwegian Futhark is provided below (Omniglot).

The Manuscript
There are four manuscripts dated from the 17th century and earlier than contain this manuscript. The
earliest version is from AM 687d, 4to, dated to the 15th century which contained the Rune Poem
without the names of the Runes explicitly stated (see the manuscript in Appendix B). This manuscript
offers some difficulties in transcription, as the final stanza of the poem (the rune Yr meaning yew) is
unreadable (Page). The next earliest manuscript dated from the 16th century is AM 461, 12mo which,

unfortunately, is of no help determining the final line of the poem as it omits the Yr letter completely
(Page). This manuscript also used the names of the Rune only, but not the actual futhark (Svenson).
The two final manuscripts date from the 16th and 17th centuries respectively, AM 413, folio, pp. 130-5,
140ff, and AM 749, 4to. The latest manuscript contains both the Runic characters and their respective
names. Transcriptions based on these manuscripts often contain the 16th Yr stanza, however, the exact
words are not documented in any early forms. It is reasonable to believe that this stanza definitely
existed, but that any modern transcription is the creation of a author of late 16th or 17th century origin, at
earliest.
Icelandic Rune Poem and Translation
The following transcription and translation of the poem is from Svenson.
F er frnda rg

Wealth

ok flar viti
ok grafseis gata
aurum fylkir.
r er skja grtr

source of discord among kinsmen

and fire of the sea
and path of the serpent.
Shower

ok skra verrir
ok hiris hatr.
umbre vsi
urs er kvenna kvl

lamentation of the clouds

and ruin of the hay-harvest
and abomination of the shepherd.
Giant

ok kletta bi
ok varrnar verr.
Saturnus engill.
ss er algingautr

torture of women
and cliff-dweller
and husband of a giantess.
God

ok sgars jfurr,
ok valhallar vsi.
Jupiter oddviti.
Rei er sitjandi sla

aged Gautr
and prince of sgarr
and lord of Vallhalla.
Riding

ok snig fer
ok jrs erfii.
iter rsir.
Kaun er barna bl

joy of the horsemen

and speedy journey
and toil of the steed.
Ulcer

ok bardaga [fr]
ok holdfa hs.
flagella konungr.
Hagall er kaldakorn
ok krapadrfa
ok snka stt.
grando hildingr.
Nau er jar r
ok ungr kostr
ok vssamlig verk.
opera niflungr.

disease fatal to children

and painful spot
and abode of mortification.
Hail
cold grain
and shower of sleet
and sickness of serpents.
Constraint
grief of the bond-maid
and state of oppression
and toilsome work.

ss er rbrkr

Ice

ok unnar ak
ok feigra manna fr.
glacies jfurr.
r er gumna gi

bark of rivers
and roof of the wave
and destruction of the doomed.
Plenty

ok gott sumar
algrinn akr.
annus allvaldr.
Sl er skja skjldr

boon to men
and good summer
and thriving crops.
Sun

ok sknandi rull
ok sa aldrtregi.
rota siklingr.
Tr er einhendr ss

shield of the clouds

and shining ray
and destroyer of ice.
Tr

ok ulfs leifar
ok hofa hilmir.
Mars tiggi.
Bjarkan er laufgat lim

god with one hand

and leavings of the wolf
and prince of temples.
Birch

ok ltit tr
ok ungsamligr vir.
abies bulungr.
Mar er manns gaman

leafy twig
and little tree
and fresh young shrub.
Man

ok moldar auki
ok skipa skreytir.
homo mildingr.
Lgr er vellanda vatn

delight of man
and augmentation of the earth
and adorner of ships.
Water

ok vir ketill
ok glmmungr grund.
lacus lofungr.
r er bendr bogi
ok brotgjarnt jrn
ok ffu frbauti.
arcus ynglingr.

eddying stream
and broad geysir
and land of the fish.
Yew
bent bow
and brittle iron
and giant of the arrow.

Old Icelandic
Old Icelandic is a member of the Germanic family of language and is pat of the North Germanic
branch. In the late 9th century, the Norwegians settled Iceland, thus Old Icelandic descended directly
from Old Norse as the Icelandic people diverged from the Norwegians. Iceland was responsible for a
large majority of literature written in Old Norse, and the evolution into Old Iceland occurred gradually
between the 14th and 16th centuries and contained only minor changes from Old Norse (thus the
difficulty in determining a 'date' to being Old Icelandic) (Robinson). In modern day, Icelandic is the
closest language to something spoken in the Medieval time period, and modern Icelandic speakers are
able to read Old Norse with only minor difficulties. Thus, I have provided both the Old Norse and
modern Icelandic alphabets below (from Omniglot) to show the similarities.
Old Norse

Icelandic

Early 16th century Scandinavian Attire

It is difficult to find records of clothing for 16th century Iceland. The only extant example I was able to
find is the below tapestry dated to the 16th Century which is found in the Draflastadir Church (Icelandic
Embroidery).

My best assumption for clothing, then, is a long tunic with long sleeves over which a coat/cloak is
worn. Some of the images show hats of various types.

Performance Style
There is limited information on actually poets from this time period. However, due to the nature of the
poem as a mnemonic device, I decided to take a different approach for performance. I will be
performing as a scholar looking through manuscripts and discovering this poem. I will be performing
it as a reading as if sharing the poem with another scholar. Thus, the presentation will be characterized
by a slow delivery style which would allow the listener to decipher the kennings used, as this style of
poetry had fallen into disfavor. Additionally, this seems to be an appropriate way to present a poem
interesting for it's double use as a mnemonic device rather than an epic saga or story of some kind.
Difficulties, Compromises, and Commentary
This piece offered many challenges in research. I chose the piece because I thought that the poem as a
mnemonic for the runes was really cool, unfortunately, the information about this time period caused
me to rethink this decision many times. The difficulties were in finding 1) reliable transcriptions of the
poem, 2) information pertaining to poetry (and poets) in this time period, 3) information pertaining to
clothing and culture of the time period.
None of the oldest manuscript offer a perfect transcription of the poem. The manuscript in Appendix B
has many areas that are unreadable. Other manuscripts add and leave out elements as they choose.
Thus, it is difficult to know what the original poem might have been. On the other hand, if this poem
were based on a much older poem, the multiple versions may be accurate if many authors had their
own interpretation of this older poem. Even though certain elements were unreadable, and may or may
not document from period, I decided to leave them in under the assumption that it was very likely that
they did exist due to the various references in manuscripts and due to comparisons to the Norwegian
and Anglo-Saxon rune poems. An example of this is the final Yr stanza I chose to leave it in even
though it is unreadable in the manuscript in Appendix B. Though it may be a more modern creation, it
seems appropriate to the style of the poem and could be an actual period creation.
Additionally, I struggled to find adequate information on poetry in this time period. There is ample
information on Eddic and Skaldic poetry, however, these styles of poetry were not often used in the 16th
century (and starting as early as the 14th century). The Rune Poem does use some elements of Skaldic
poetry, which suggests the poem may originate during this time period, however, due to lacking
information on poetry in this time period (Rimur being the only reference, and as it is described as a
relatively simple and externally rhyming style, it does not fit the Icelandic Rune Poem), I was not able
to delve as deeply into the poem as I would have liked. Additionally, I could find no information on
poets in this time period. It is possible more information would be available if I were able to
understand Icelandic, as modern Iceland still maintains Icelandic as it's only Official language and most
sites are available only in Icelandic, limiting my abilities to search even relying on website translators.
Finally, finding information on the overall culture of this time period, including clothing, proved to be
next to impossible. Most information on Scandinavian cultures focuses on the earlier Viking Age and
there is very little about the later periods. The happened to stumble upon the tapestry used in the
clothing section after hours of searching, but I have no idea of whether the people in the tapestry were a
specific group, or if the entire population would have dressed this way. I can use the assumption that
they likely would have dressed in similar fashions to other Scandinavian countries, as Iceland was
under the rule of Norway which was, in turn, under the rule of the Danish Crown, however, the
information on these cultures is often just as difficult to acquire in this time period. Most information
focuses on the High German cultures with little attention paid to the Low German peoples.

Works Cited
Brittanica. Tom Thumb's Alphabet. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/598807/Tom-ThumbsAlphabet. June 11, 2011
Baynes, Thomas Spencer. The Encyclopaedia Brittanica: A Dictionary of Arts, Science and General
Literature, Volume XII. Henry G. Allen and Company. New York. 1888.
Central Bank of Iceland. Iceland, the Republic. http://www.sedlabanki.is/uploads/files/History%20and
%20culture.pdf. June 11, 2011.
Dickins, Bruce. Runic and Heroic Poems of the Old Teutonic Peoples. University Press, Cambridge.
1915. http://www.houseofdubhros.com/library/scriptorium/runicpoems.pdf. June 11, 2011.
Hurstwic. http://www.hurstwic.org/index.html, June 11, 2011.
Icelandic Embroidery. http://medieval.webcon.net.au/loc_scandinavia_iceland.html. June 11, 2011.
Omniglot: writing systems and languages of the world. Http://www.omniglot.com. June 11, 2011.
Page, R.I. The Icelandic Rune-Poem. NU Printers, University of Nottingham. 1998. http://vsnrwebpublications.org.uk/The%20Icelandic%20Rune-Poem.pdf. June 11, 2011.
Robinson, Orrin W. Old English and its Closest Relatives: A Survey of the Earliest Germanic
Languages. Stanford University Press. Stanford, CA. 1992.
Skaldic Project Academic Body. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages.
http://skaldic.arts.usyd.edu.au/db.php. June 11, 2011.

Appendix A: Manuscript

From: The Arnamagnan Collection, Den arnamagnanske samling, Nordisk forskningsinstitut,

University of Copenhagen and Stofnun rna Magnssonar slenskum frum, Reykjavk
Located Online at Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages
http://skaldic.arts.usyd.edu.au/db.php