

BLESSED KING ARWALD
LAST PAGAN KING
OF WIHTLAND
(Isle of Wight)
Tell me, where does Arwald lie?
Is he in the Bloodstone Wood,
Bending bluebells with a sigh,
Buried in blackthorn and monks hood?
In bosky dells and gathered gloom -
A whisper through the silent shade,
Amongst the harts horn for his tomb,
In the oak woods peaceful glade.
Or does he ride to gabrel hounds,
High above the Shalcombe Downs,
On thunderclouds upon the storm,
By power of oak and ash and thorn.
When squirrels shiver in their fur
Comes Arwald to Wihtgarasburgh.
Tell me, where does King Arwald lie,
Was it on the beach of Silver Sand,
Where he swore to fight and die?
Where the wind answers with a sigh
As it blows gently across the land,
Tell me where does King Arwald lie?
When the winds blow and the leaves fly,
His battle-worn sword hard in his hand,
Where he swore to fight and die.
The storm clouds gather and sea gulls cry,
Wheeling, screeching on the strand,
Tell me where does King Arwald lie?
His thunderous footfalls stalk the land,
His allies cheer and his foes will fly,
A lightning flash crashing from his hand.
Where he swore to fight
BY
MARK FRANCIS


Èadig Cyng Arwald
Þæt last hǽðen Cyng
Fram Wihtland
Wísian mè, hwǽr drýhþ Arwald licgan?
Is hè in þæt Blōdstãn Bearu,
Bègendic hǽwebelles wiþ a seofian
Byrged in blæcðorn und cugele?
In bosky dælls und gaderian ðèostre -
Ãn hwisprian þurh þæt swígian beam sceadu
Betwèonum þæt deōrs horn for his beren
In þæt ãc bearus geðwǽre glæd.
Oððe drýhþ hè ridan æt gabrel hunds,
Hèah bufanh þæt Shalcombe dun
On ðunorwolcen uppan þæt styrman
Þurh onweald fram ãc und æsce und ðorn.
Ðã sciurus sprengan in heora furþra
Becuman Arwald æt Wihtgarasburgh.
Wísian mè, hwǽr drýhþ Cyng Arwald licgan?
Wæscan hit on þæt strand fram Seolfor Sond
Hwær hè gesworc æt gefeohtan und ãcwellan?
Wisian þæt blǽst ondwyrdan wiþ a seofian
Ealswã hit blãwan clementer geond þæt eard
Wísian mè, hwǽr drýhþ Cyng Arwald licgan?
Ðã þæt blæsts blãwan und þǽt lafs floge
His beadu weorn sweord, stíð in his folm,
Hwær hè gesworc æt gefeohtan und ãcwellan.
Þæt wederwolcen gaderian und sǽfugol cirm,
Windan giellan on þæt strand,
Wísian mè, hwær drýhþ Cyng Arwald licgan?
His ðunorrãd fōtswæðs stalcung þæt eard,
His gesiþ myrgan und hís feonds willan flèogary,
A lígræsc gebræc fram hís hand.
Hwǽr hè gesworc æt gefeohtan
Translation to Old English
By
Jan Harper Whale