Allegedly two ancient Germanic charms written in a 9th century Carolingian (Old High German) manuscript from Fulda. This document was discovered by Georg Waitz in the library of the Merseburg Cathedral in 1841 and published for the first time by Jacob Grimm in 1842.
Eiris sazun idisi
sazun hera duoder.
suma hapt heptidun,
suma heri lezidun,
suma clubodun
umbi cuoniouuidi:
insprinc haptbandun,
inuar uigandun.
Once sat women,
They sat here, then there.
Some fastened bonds,
Some impeded an army,
Some unraveled fetters:
Escape the bonds,
flee the enemy!
Phol ende uuodan uuorun zi holza.
du uuart demo balderes uolon sin uuoz birenkit.
thu biguol en sinthgunt, sunna era suister;
thu biguol en friia, uolla era suister;
thu biguol en uuodan, so he uuola conda:
sose benrenki, sose bluotrenki,
sose lidirenki:
ben zi bena, bluot zi bluoda,
lid zi geliden, sose gelimida sin.
Phol and Wodan were riding to the woods,
and the foot of Balder's foal was sprained
So Sinthgunt, Sunna's sister, conjured it.
and Frija, Volla's sister, conjured it.
and Wodan conjured it, as well he could:
Like bone-sprain, so blood-sprain,
so joint-sprain:
Bone to bone, blood to blood,
joints to joints, so may they be glued.
While it is assumed to be the earliest written record of a Germanic magical verse, the rarity of such early manuscripts is largely due to the simple fact that tribal cultures in continental Europe adhered exclusively to oral traditions. Runes and other petroglypic markings were still coveted as secret symbols of magical empowerment, at least until the Saxon and Norse invasions introduced more complex runic systems evolved for the sake of written language. In fact, written language was never considered a necessity until the Romans turned up. While some Celtic pantheons readily adapted to commercial influences of Roman culture, this was not the case for the Germans as they were more a transient folk of herders and hunters at the time- and why German remains a non-latin language. They simply could not be integrated, given their two entirely different perspectives of existence and self realization. For instance the word "Geist" in the German sense not only refers to a ghost, spirit, or soul spirit, but a conscious realization and communication of self and its will ability to design and manifest. In that sense "Zeitgeist" refers to the collective spirit and mentality of a particular period in time. In this it can be seen the German mind generally inclined to perceive existence in terms of spiritual relativity. In essence, spirit is not described as anything immaterial, rather, understood as a life force that generates the construct, the magical power to realize itself in the physical. Thus in a shamanic sense, the journey to the nine worlds represented a journey in conscious realization on so many levels, whereas Ragnarok illustrates that all things are subject to change in order to maintain continuity. As we say in Germany, "that which rests, rusts".
Now having given you some idea of the Germanic mentality, imagine the time Carolingian monks had trying to convert these people. It's one thing to conquer a foreign culture, but another to even get them to understand what you're talking about. Schools and churches only permitted the use of Latin, and a higher education in early Christian society inclined to be reserved either for orphans raised in monasteries, or the sons of rich nobles unfit for battle or marriage for that matter. In the feudal system, serfs were seldom allowed this "privilege" for obvious reasons.Aside from having to farm to earn their keep, they also had to defend the kingdom from rivals when called upon. Especially this left the monks with a problem of communicating their theology according to scriptural standards. Thus they made use of local folkloric allegory in the form of illustration, adapting folk heros and deities into the more devoted role of "patron saints", each represented by a particular animal familiar playing a part in the allegory.
Nonetheless, it didn't keep the common folk from carrying on their oral traditions, as much of their allegorical verse retained everything from herbal pharmacopea and agrarian wisdoms of planting, harvesting and weather reading, down to the treatment and use of materials for building- much of which was inseparable from their mythical associations. In that respect, Roman Catholicism ended up having to absorb it, if it was to be in anyway practical to the locals.
In the Merseburg Incantations, however, the second verse reads more like a Frankish reinterpretation of a Saxon galderdict to include the patrons of other tribes. In academic circles, however, the controversy is over the meaning of "Phol". No deity by that name could be found in any of the oral traditions.
Throughout the Teutoberger Forest in Westphalia there are countless remnants of neolithic grave chambers suggesting it was once central to an indigenous megalithic culture. Amongst these, in the vicinity of Bippen are the obscure remnants of a stone circle in what was once an open heath. This circle is one with a phallic center stone named the "Pfaohlenstein". This name has misled numerous academics to assume some association to the "Phol" in the Merseberg Incantations. There was even a bronze plaque mounted there on that assumption. While the Teutoberger Forest is also well known as an important heritage site of the Teutonic peoples to this day, the Pfaohlenstein reference is more apt to define "Phallic Stone" than some forgotten local deity. The fact is the west Germanic peoples never even had a fertility god named "Baldr". This is more likely to have been Frey, and this is where the problem began in course of Carolingian conversion. Namely trying to put Frey into a context of Jesus as illuminator and protector of his flock.
They sat here, then there.
Some fastened bonds,
Some impeded an army,
Some unraveled fetters:
Escape the bonds,
flee the enemy!
Phol ende uuodan uuorun zi holza.
du uuart demo balderes uolon sin uuoz birenkit.
thu biguol en sinthgunt, sunna era suister;
thu biguol en friia, uolla era suister;
thu biguol en uuodan, so he uuola conda:
sose benrenki, sose bluotrenki,
sose lidirenki:
ben zi bena, bluot zi bluoda,
lid zi geliden, sose gelimida sin.
Phol and Wodan were riding to the woods,
and the foot of Balder's foal was sprained
So Sinthgunt, Sunna's sister, conjured it.
and Frija, Volla's sister, conjured it.
and Wodan conjured it, as well he could:
Like bone-sprain, so blood-sprain,
so joint-sprain:
Bone to bone, blood to blood,
joints to joints, so may they be glued.
While it is assumed to be the earliest written record of a Germanic magical verse, the rarity of such early manuscripts is largely due to the simple fact that tribal cultures in continental Europe adhered exclusively to oral traditions. Runes and other petroglypic markings were still coveted as secret symbols of magical empowerment, at least until the Saxon and Norse invasions introduced more complex runic systems evolved for the sake of written language. In fact, written language was never considered a necessity until the Romans turned up. While some Celtic pantheons readily adapted to commercial influences of Roman culture, this was not the case for the Germans as they were more a transient folk of herders and hunters at the time- and why German remains a non-latin language. They simply could not be integrated, given their two entirely different perspectives of existence and self realization. For instance the word "Geist" in the German sense not only refers to a ghost, spirit, or soul spirit, but a conscious realization and communication of self and its will ability to design and manifest. In that sense "Zeitgeist" refers to the collective spirit and mentality of a particular period in time. In this it can be seen the German mind generally inclined to perceive existence in terms of spiritual relativity. In essence, spirit is not described as anything immaterial, rather, understood as a life force that generates the construct, the magical power to realize itself in the physical. Thus in a shamanic sense, the journey to the nine worlds represented a journey in conscious realization on so many levels, whereas Ragnarok illustrates that all things are subject to change in order to maintain continuity. As we say in Germany, "that which rests, rusts".
Now having given you some idea of the Germanic mentality, imagine the time Carolingian monks had trying to convert these people. It's one thing to conquer a foreign culture, but another to even get them to understand what you're talking about. Schools and churches only permitted the use of Latin, and a higher education in early Christian society inclined to be reserved either for orphans raised in monasteries, or the sons of rich nobles unfit for battle or marriage for that matter. In the feudal system, serfs were seldom allowed this "privilege" for obvious reasons.Aside from having to farm to earn their keep, they also had to defend the kingdom from rivals when called upon. Especially this left the monks with a problem of communicating their theology according to scriptural standards. Thus they made use of local folkloric allegory in the form of illustration, adapting folk heros and deities into the more devoted role of "patron saints", each represented by a particular animal familiar playing a part in the allegory.
Nonetheless, it didn't keep the common folk from carrying on their oral traditions, as much of their allegorical verse retained everything from herbal pharmacopea and agrarian wisdoms of planting, harvesting and weather reading, down to the treatment and use of materials for building- much of which was inseparable from their mythical associations. In that respect, Roman Catholicism ended up having to absorb it, if it was to be in anyway practical to the locals.
In the Merseburg Incantations, however, the second verse reads more like a Frankish reinterpretation of a Saxon galderdict to include the patrons of other tribes. In academic circles, however, the controversy is over the meaning of "Phol". No deity by that name could be found in any of the oral traditions.
Throughout the Teutoberger Forest in Westphalia there are countless remnants of neolithic grave chambers suggesting it was once central to an indigenous megalithic culture. Amongst these, in the vicinity of Bippen are the obscure remnants of a stone circle in what was once an open heath. This circle is one with a phallic center stone named the "Pfaohlenstein". This name has misled numerous academics to assume some association to the "Phol" in the Merseberg Incantations. There was even a bronze plaque mounted there on that assumption. While the Teutoberger Forest is also well known as an important heritage site of the Teutonic peoples to this day, the Pfaohlenstein reference is more apt to define "Phallic Stone" than some forgotten local deity. The fact is the west Germanic peoples never even had a fertility god named "Baldr". This is more likely to have been Frey, and this is where the problem began in course of Carolingian conversion. Namely trying to put Frey into a context of Jesus as illuminator and protector of his flock.
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