In recognition of Christmas 2021, here is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in the original Old English, a.k.a. Anglo Saxon, from exactly one thousand years ago, courtesy of All Things Linguistic:

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!”

Note, of course, the Old English meter and alliteration. This is an amazing find, considering that previously the earliest known version of Rudolph was published in 1939.

Categories: Life, Linguistics