Here begins the deeds of Hrodulf...

You may have thought that the tale of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer began with a song by Gene Autry.  But in actuality, the tale harkens back to the days of yore, passed on from generation to generation by the oral tales of Nordic bards, in the tradition of Beowulf, making its way into Saxon mythology, before ultimately becoming a classic stop-motion claymation Christmas television special.  Lo!

Incipit gestis Rudolphi rangifer tarandus

Hwæt, Hrodulf readnosa hrandeor --
Næfde þæt nieten unsciende næsðyrlas!
Glitenode and gladode godlice nosgrisele.
Ða hofberendas mid huscwordum hine gehefigodon;
Nolden þa geneatas Hrodulf næftig
To gomene hraniscum geador ætsomne.
Þa in Cristesmæsseæfne stormigum clommum,
Halga Claus þæt gemunde to him maðelode:
"Neahfreond nihteage nosubeorhtende!
Min hroden hrædwæn gelæd ðu, Hrodulf!"
Ða gelufodon hira laddeor þa lyftflogan --
Wæs glædnes and gliwdream; hornede sum gegieddode
"Hwæt, Hrodulf readnosa hrandeor,
Brad springð þin blæd: breme eart þu!"

You can read the translation here.

Comments

[Confederate Yankee]

Gully,

I've got to hand it to you, that was awesome. I've read Beowulf several times, enjoyed John Gardner's tale from the monster's POV in Grendel. This was about as "on" as you could get.

Cool.

[Philip Chapman-Bell]

It's Hrodulf, but close enough.

This is not, however, the first time the poem has been republished by the vast right wing conspiracy. I have a baseball cap from The American Enterprise from when they ran it in the electronic version of their magazine. Wear it around town sometimes for big yucks.

On the other hand, it's always nice when we can find some common ground with you people. Happy Christmas!

Philip, a true blue in Northampton, MA

[Gullyborg]

Correcting now...