. . . . . . . . . ----------- but dar’d I not to bow me earthward . . . . . . . . . -----------Rood was I reared now.  Rich King heaving-------------------Rich king heaving The Lord of Light-realms------------The Lord of Light-realms Lean me I durst not---------------Lean me I durst not.  Us both they basely mockt and handled-----Us both they basely mockt and handled Was I there with blood bedabbled---------all with blood was I bedabbled Gushing grievous from . . . --------gushing grievous from his dear side, . . . . . . . . . -----------when his ghost he had uprendered. . . . . . . . . . -----------How on that hill . . . . . . . . . -----------have I throwed . . . . . . . . . -----------dole the direst. . . . . . . . . . -----------All day viewed I hanging . . . . . . . . . -----------the God of hosts . . . . . . . . . -----------Gloomy and swarthy . . . . . . . . . -----------clouds had cover’d . . . . . . . . . -----------the corse of the Waldend.* . . . . . . . . . -----------O’er the sheer shine-path . . . . . . . . . -----------shadows fell heavy . . . . . . . . . -----------wan ’neath the nelkin . . . . . . . . . -----------wept all creation . . . . . . . . . -----------wail’d the fall of their king.  Christ was on Rood-tree----------Christ was on Rood-tree But fast from afar----------------But fast from afar His friends hurried-------------his friends hurried Athel to the Sufferer.------------To aid their Atheling Everything I saw.------------Everything I saw.  Sorely was I----------------Sorely was I With sorrows harrow’d------------with sorrows harrow’d . . . . .  I inclin’d-------------yet humbly I inclin’d . . . . . . . . . -----------to the hands of his servants, . . . . . . . . . -----------striving with might to aid them. . . . . . . . . . -----------Straight the all-ruling God they’ve taken . . . . . . . . . -----------heaving from that haried torment . . . . . . . . . -----------Those Hilde-rinks** now left me . . . . . . . . . -----------to stand there streaming with blood drops; With streals all wounded-------with streals*** was I all wounded.  Down laid they Him limb-weary---------Down laid they him limb-weary, O’er His lifeless Head then stood they—­O’er his lifeless head then stood they, Heavily gazing at Heaven’s . . .--------heavily gazing at heaven’s Chieftain.

* Wielder, Lord, Ruler, Monarch,

** Hero, from Hilde the war god.  Battle brave, captain

*** Anything strown or cast-a missile of any kind.

Kemble’s rendering of the poem, wonderfully correct and conscientious as a translation, is inferior in poetical merit to that of Stephens, who, as we see, instead of choosing modern words, is careful to retain many of the picturesque old rune equivalents.  This we perceive at once if we compare Stephens’ four lines, beginning “Christ was on Rood tree” with Kemble’s: 

“Christ was on the Cross but thither hastening men came from afar to the noble one.” *

* Poetry of the Vercelli Codex.