Speak like a Saxon: Fork'andles

I couldn't help thinking about the old fork'handles/four-candles problem the other day, and how our Anglo-Saxon ancestors might have faced a much more troubling version...

Ecgfrithfroth hæfð scip. He cwæð to his wif: Hwær cwom garsecg?

His wif nim wicing ut of huse.  

His wif cwæð to him: Her bið garsecg.


At this point Ecgfrithfroth gets a bit concerned; faced with a spear-wielding warrior man. He's off for a fishing trip and isn't particularly up for a fight...

It's not quite so funny in translation, but here you go:

Ecgfrithfroth has got a boat. He says to his wife, 'Where's the 'Garsecg'?'
His wife takes a viking out from the house.
His wife says to him, 'Here's the 'Garsecg'.


The problem is this:
Gars-ecg = Ocean
Gar-secg = spear-man

ROFL. Or not quite.








Comments