Abstrakt
The Battle of Brunanburh, also spelled Brunnanburh, is an Old English poem of 73 lines included in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle under the year 937. It relates the victory of the Saxon king Athelstan over the allied Norse, Scots, and Briton invaders under the leadership of Olaf Guthfrithson, king of Dublin and claimant to the throne of York.
The poem is considered as a panegyric composed for Athelstan to celebrate his victory. It describes the dead kings and earls on the battlefield and pictures the Norsemen fleeing back to Dublin in their ships while their dead sons are being devoured by ravens and wolves.
The poem asserts that this was the greatest battle ever fought in England and also that of a great slaughter. The present paper is a creative translation into Modern English of the Old English text.