Introduction
In ‘The Dream of the Rood’, Cynewulf (possibly the 8th century bishop of Lindisfarne) imagines the Cross of Christ finding voice and recounting the experiences that great Friday. Here, the Cross speaks of the Day of Judgment and the comfort and assurance the very thought of it brings to mankind even at that late hour.
NOW I bid thee, dear braveheart, tell this vision unto all men, spread the word that this is that glorious tree on which Almighty God suffered for the manifold sins of men, and for what Adam did long ago. Death he tasted there; yet afterwards the Lord arose to give men his mighty aid. Then he ascended into heaven.
Hither shall he, the Lord himself, Almighty God with his angels, haste again, to this Middle Earth on the Day of Doom, seeking out mankind, that he who wieldeth doom might declare it upon each and every one as he in this fleeting life hath earned it.
No man should feel unafraid at the doom that the Wielder shall declare. For he shall inquire who among that company would for his Lord’s name taste bitter death, as he once did upon that tree? And they shall tremble with fear, and few shall think of any answer they could give to Christ.
Yet no man there need feel afraid if he bear in his breast this best of beacons; and every soul that thinketh to dwell with the Wielder must seek the heavenly realm through that Rood, forsaking the paths of earth.
Freely translated from the Old English
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Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Each. Few. Would.
2 Feel. Forsake. Need.
3 Aid. Beacon. Good.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Dear. 2. Well. 3. Bore. 4. Bear. 5. Fleet. 6. Man. 7. Spread. 8. Long.
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding dis-.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
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