For Water-Elf Disease - Misplaced Pages

"For Water-Elf Disease" (Old English: Wiþ Wæterælfadle) is an Anglo-Saxon metrical charm that was intended for use in curing the "water-elf disease," which was a disease supposedly caused by elf-shot from water elves. It is written in Old English and derives from Bald's Leechbook (10th century).

Some historians have suggested that the disease referred to may be chicken pox or dropsy (oedema). A poultice is made with many herbs and placed on the wound.

Text

Translated by Dr. Aaron K. Hostetter.

Gif mon biþ on wæterælfadle, þonne beoþ him þa hand-
næglas wonne and þa eagan tearige and wile locian niþer.
Do him þis to læcedome: eoforþrote, cassuc, fone nioþo-
weard, eowberge, elehtre, eolone, merscmealwan crop,
fenminte, dile, lilie, attorlaþe, polleie, marubie, docce, ellen,
felterre, wermod, streawbergean leaf, consolde; ofgeot mid
ealaþ, do hæligwæter to, sing þis gealdor ofer þriwa:

Ic benne awrat betest beadowræda,
swa benne ne burnon, ne burston,
ne fundian, ne feologan,
ne hoppettan, ne wund waxsian,
ne dolh diopian; ac him self healde halewæge,
ne ace þe þon ma, þe eorþan on eare ace.

Sing þis manegum siþum: Eorþe þe onbere eallum hire
mihtum and mægenum. þas galdor mon mæg singan on
wunde.

If someone comes down with the “water-elf-disease,” then his finger-
nails will become black and his eyes teary and will wish to look downwards.
Do this for them as a remedy: take from below carline thistle, cassock,
yewberry, lupine, elecampane, marshmallow sprout,
fen-mint, dill, lily, cock's-spur, pennyroyal, marrabulum, sorrel, elder,
felterry, wormwood, strawberry leaf, and comfrey. Soak them with
ale, then mix them with holy water, and sing this charm over it three times:

I have composed the best battle-company for this wound,
so that the wound will neither burn nor burst,
neither hurry forwards nor multiply,
neither throb in pain nor the wound grow,
nor the pain deepen—yet he may hold the hallows himself
nor shall it grow any greater, like the earth grows with ears.

Sing this many times: Earth that withers all of these,
with might and power. This spell one can sing over their
wounds.

References

"Against the Water-Elf-Disease | Ancient Exchanges". Exchanges: Journal of Literary Translation.
"medieval charms". The Mediaeval Monk. 29 November 2020.
Jolly, K. L. (2015). Popular Religion in Late Saxon England: Elf Charms in Context. United States: University of North Carolina Press.
"Medieval Medical Works · Vesalius at 500 · Special Collections and Archives". library.missouri.edu.
"History and Folklore Podcast: Anglo-Saxon Elf Charms". historyandfolklorepodcast.libsyn.com.
Shippey, Tom (2005) . The Road to Middle-Earth (Third ed.). HarperCollins. pp. 66–74. ISBN 978-0261102750.
"Metrical Charm 7: For the Water-Elf Disease". www.sacred-texts.com.
"The Metrical Charms | Old English Poetry Project | Rutgers University". oldenglishpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu.

External links

Felix Grendon’s translation

v t e The Twelve Extant Anglo-Saxon metrical charms
Charms	Æcerbot Against a Dwarf Against a Wen A Journey Charm For a Swarm of Bees For Loss or Theft of Cattle For Delayed Birth For Water-Elf Disease Nine Herbs Charm Wið færstice
Sources	Lacnunga Bald's Leechbook
Origins	Alliterative verse Anglo-Saxon paganism

Old English poetry

Poems

Nowell Codex	Beowulf Judith
Junius MS	Genesis A, B Exodus Daniel Christ and Satan
Vercelli Book	Andreas "The Fates of the Apostles" "Soul and Body I" Dream of the Rood Elene "Homiletic Fragment I"
Exeter Book	"Christ I" "Christ II" "Christ III" "Guthlac A, B" "Azarias" "The Phoenix" "Juliana" "The Wanderer" "The Gifts of Men" "Precepts" "The Seafarer" "Vainglory" "Widsith" "The Fortunes of Men" "Maxims I" "The Order of the World" "The Rhyming Poem" "The Panther" "The Whale" "The Partridge" "Soul and Body II" "Deor" "Wulf and Eadwacer" Riddles 1–59 "The Wife's Lament" "The Judgment Day I" "Resignation" "The Descent into Hell" "Alms-Giving" "Pharaoh" "The Lord's Prayer I" "Homiletic Fragment II" Riddle 30b Riddle 60 "The Husband's Message" "The Ruin" Riddles 61–95
Metrical charms	"Æcerbot" "Against a dwarf" "Against a Wen" "A Journey Charm" "For a Swarm of Bees" "For Loss or Theft of Cattle" "For Delayed Birth" "For Water-Elf Disease" "Nine Herbs Charm" "Wið færstice"
Chronicle poems	"Battle of Brunanburh" "Capture of the Five Boroughs" "The Coronation of Edgar" "The Death of King Edgar" "The Death of Alfred" "The Death of Edward" "The Rime of King William"
Other poems	"Metres of Boethius" "Paris Psalter" (BNF MS 8824) "Finnsburh Fragment" "Waldere A, B" "The Battle of Maldon" "Durham" "Rune poem" Solomon and Saturn "The Menologium" "Maxims II" "Proverb from Winfrid's time" "Judgment Day II" "An Exhortation to Christian Living" "A Summons to Prayer" "The Lord's Prayer II" "The Gloria I" "The Lord's Prayer III" "The Creed" "Old English Psalms" (fragments) "The Kentish Hymn" "Psalm 50" "The Gloria II" "A Prayer" "Thureth" "Aldhelm" "The Seasons for Fasting" Cædmon's "Hymn" "Bede's Death Song" "Leiden Riddle" "Latin-English Proverbs" Metrical Preface and Epilogue to Alfred's Hierdeboc Metrical Preface to Wærferth's translation of the Dialogues Metrical Epilogue to CCCC MS 41 Brussels Cross Ruthwell Cross

Poets

Other

Category:

Anglo-Saxon metrical charms