Egil Saga [English translation]

“She has been ill for a long time,

she has the exhaustion,

cannot sleep any night and was

as if she had lost reason and shape.”

Runes have been scratched therefore, it is a farmer’s son,

not far from here, he has done that,

but afterwards it was

much worse than before.

Egil scratched runes and placed them under the cushion of the bed

she rested on.

It was to her as if she had awoken from sleep,

and she said she was well now.

Chorus:

No man shall scratch runes

Not being able to use them well;

Many a man is misled

by dark forces.

Ten secret runes have I seen

Scratched on smoothed out fish bone;

For the girl this has caused

sorrow for a long time.