Nine Herbs Charm (extracts)

Charm translation extracts from an 11th century manuscript known as Harley 585 (Lacnunga) held at the British Museum.

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These nine have power against nine poisons.

A worm came crawling, it killed nothing.

For Woden took nine glory-twigs,

he smote the adder that it flew apart into nine parts.

Now the nine herbs have power against nine evil spirits,

against nine poisons and against nine infections:

Against the red poison, against the foul poison.

against the yellow poison, against the green poison,

against the black poison, against the blue poison,

against the brown poison, against the crimson poison.

Against worm-blister, against water-blister,

against thorn-blister, against thistle-blister,

against ice-blister, against poison-blister.

Against harmfulness of the air, against harmfulness of the ground,

against harmfulness of the sea.

I alone know a running stream,

and the nine adders beware of it.

May all the weeds spring up from their roots,

the seas slip apart, all salt water,

when I blow this poison from you.