The Wulfasléof

So it was that Wōden walked amongst the ēotenas when he came upon Grynberend in the Īsenholt. Wōden dwelt with Grynberend for a time and she bore him three children: The first was Fenwulf, sire of wolves, the second was Ēormungand, the wyrm of Middangeard and the last was Hel, winsomely dreadful yet dreadfully winsome. It came to pass that Wōden had to go back to Ēsangeard, leaving his children and their dam in that iron wood. When he went back to the ēse, Wōden told them all of his new kin, and they bade him bring the children before them.

 

Wōden went, once more, to Grynberend and boldly asked that his children be brought forth. The ēoten gave forth to the rūnwihta of the Ēse not three, but four offspring. For, in his time away, Grynberend had born yet more children: wolves like their firstborn brother. Of these, one had become faithful friend to Fenwulf. The wolf, Georn, would not abide being apart from his brother. With his children, Wōden made his way back to the dwelling of the gods. In front of the ēse did Wōden set the children of Grynberend, to await their reckoning.

 

At that time, Tīw was the chief of the ēse and he looked upon the ēotencynn. To Hel, he granted the wardenship of all those eorðcundlīc souls who had not died in worthy fighting. Ēormungand, Tīw bade be set into the seas of Middangeard, to shield the world from the ruthless ēotenas. Tīw looked long and hard at the wolves, Fenwulf and Georn, but he could not hold forth on them. So Wōden spoke. He said that the wolves would be of great gain to the ēse and that he would care for them.

 

The two wolves were placed into Wōden’s care and he took them into his home, Wælsele, where he bade them stay. Every day Wōden would feed the wolves from his own dish, aside from when he fared forth. Then Tīw would ensure that the hounds of Wælsele were well fed and cared for. Greedy were the wolves and mightily did they eat. So swiftly the two grew, Fenwulf the greater but Georn still of broad bearing, that of all the ēse only would Wōden and Tīw approach them.

 

Still the wolves grew and the ēse became fearful that the two would soon be beyond handling. The ēse spoke to Tīw, telling their worry and asked that something be done. Wōden, speaking to the ēse, put forth an insight. If the wolves were too dreadful to let run free, maybe they should be fettered in helpfulness. Wōden, with some of the ēse, took Georn to Scylfhol and, using cunning words, yoked him to the earth so that he would ever after ward the way to Hel.

 

Tīw went with others of the ēse to take Fenwulf to Hæthīg and thence to bind him. First they bound the wolf of the fens with strong cord, but this was cleft with but a shake of one limb. Next they used mighty chains to hold Fenwulf. He shook himself and kicked and the chains were likewise sundered. Finally, the ēse resorted to spellcraft and brought forth Gypunging, a fetter so thin it looked like it could not bind a hair. Fenwulf could smell cunning at work and would not accept the shackle. He spoke to the ēse, saying that he would only wear the snare only if one of them would lay their hand in his mouth. No other ōs would dare their hand, so Tīw held forth his own. Fenwulf gripped the hand in his mouth and let the ēse bind him with Gypunging. As soon as the fetter was on, Fenwulf knew the ēses’ wile. In his wrath, he gnashed his teeth, biting off Tīw’s hand. For all his wrestling with Gypunging, Fenwulf could not break free.

 

---------

​

As an experiment, this lay has also been transcribed into Insular Script - the character set used by the Anglo-Saxons in much of their manuscripts. As an aesthetic approach, it may hold interest for the reader:

​