Charms from Bald's Leech Book: Elf-Shot

 

Charms from Bald’s Leechbook

Bald’s Leechbook is a 10th-century Anglo-Saxon manuscript that contains charms and recipes to treat various ailments. The charms mix their old pagan beliefs with their new (relatively) Christian teachings. This first charm is for something they called Elf-shot. The Anglo-Saxons believed in elves, witches, and other supernatural being, who could be responsible for illness and injury. The number nine was special to them and the charms were often repeated nine times. 

Wið Færstice (Against Sudden Pain / Elf-Shot)
Herb: Mugwort (mucgwyrt)

᛫ᚦᚨᛏ᛫ᛁᛋ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᚹᛟᚱᛞ᛫᛫

Ut, lȳtel spere, gif hit her inne sȳ.

Ic stod under linde, under lēoht scield,

þær mihtigan wīf gesetedon hira searu.

Hī sendeon scrēamende gāras—

ic sende eft ānne ongean.

Ut spere, næfre in spere.

᛫ᚦᚨᛏ᛫ᛁᛋ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᚹᛟᚱᛞ᛫᛫

Marginalia:

• lȳtel spere — sudden, piercing pain; elf-shot

• linde — sacred, protective tree

• mihtigan wīf — powerful otherworldly women

• nigon — nine, a binding number

᛫ᚦᚨᛏ᛫ᛁᛋ᛫ᚦᛖ᛫ᚹᛟᚱᛞ᛫᛫

 

Modern English Translation:

Charm Against a Sudden Stitch or Pain

(Often associated with internal pain or “elf-shot”)

Instruction:
Sing this charm nine times over the afflicted place, then apply the remedy.

Charm (modern rendering):

“Out, little spear, if you are here within.
I stood beneath the linden tree,
beneath the light shield,
where mighty women gathered their power.
They sent shrieking spears—
I will send one back against them.
Out, spear, not in, spear.”