Speak like a Saxon #18: wearing all your clothes at once

Grendel was miserable when he had to traipse, outcast, through the cold, rimy, dingy fens, and so would you be too. Appropriate clothing is the key. Grendel and his mother hadn't heard of dressing for the weather, but you can keep out the chilly blasts with lots of nice furs and woollen stockings.

'This cap is made from hare'- þeos cæppe is gearwod of haran ["they-oss cap-uh iss ye-aar-wod off haa-rran"]

'I fear no hailstones' - Ic þracie nan hagolstanas ["Itch thratch-ee-uh nan hag-ol-stan-as"]

'My cape is thick' - Mine hacele is þicce ["Min hack-el-uh iss thick-uh"]

'My tunic is not short' - Min cyrtel nis lytel ["Min cur-tell niss loot-el"]

Sadly, there was no gortex footwear back in the day....

'Oh! there is snow in my shoe!' - Eala! Ic hæbbe snaw in mine calce! ["Ey-al-a! Itch habb-uh snaw in meen-uh kal-kuh"]


Angelcynn has an interesting article on Anglo-Saxon clothing here: http://mahan.wonkwang.ac.kr/link/med/england/anglo-saxon/culture/dress.html

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