The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc expanded the row to up to 33 characters. The interpretations follow the Old English rune poem (public domain).
The Anglo-Saxon Futhorc expanded the row – to as many as about 33 signs. The reason was language change: Old English (and Old Frisian) had new sounds, for which new runes were created. It was in use roughly from the 5th to the 11th century in England and Frisia.
From this tradition comes the fullest of the three rune poems, the Old English one (manuscript c. 1000, transmitted from the exemplar lost in the 1731 Cotton Library fire). Famous monuments are the Franks Casket (whalebone box, c. 700), the Ruthwell Cross and the Seax of Beagnoth – the only object to bear the complete Futhorc.
In the Rune Poem. Wealth is a comfort to all; yet every man must share it freely, if he would gain honour.
Old English feoh „cattle, property" (→ English fee). The poem warns: wealth comforts, yet share it freely. → Fehu in detail
In the Rune Poem. The aurochs is proud and great-horned, a fierce beast that roams the moors.
OE ur „aurochs" – the wild ox: „proud and high-horned, a moor-roamer full of courage". In the North instead „drizzle". → Uruz in detail
In the Rune Poem. The thorn is exceedingly sharp, an evil thing for any to touch – cruel to grasp.
OE softens the heathen giant (Þurs) into the harmless „thorn": „exceedingly sharp, evil to grasp". → Thurisaz in detail
In the Rune Poem. The mouth is the source of all speech, a pillar of wisdom and a comfort to the wise.
OE os „mouth" (after Latin os), „source of all speech". The original *ansuz meant a god – Christianity erased the name. → Ansuz in detail
In the Rune Poem. Riding seems easy in the hall; on a hard horse over the miles it is far more toilsome.
OE rad „ride, road" (→ English road): easy in the hall, bold on the long road. → Raidho in detail
In the Rune Poem. The torch is light and flame to every living man, bright where the nobles rest.
OE cen „pine-torch": „pale and bright, burns where the nobles rest". In the North instead „ulcer". → Kenaz in detail
In the Rune Poem. Generosity brings grace and honour, support and dignity among men.
OE giefu „gift": generosity brings honour – and to the outcast sustenance. Dropped from the Younger Futhark. → Gebo in detail
In the Rune Poem. Bliss he knows who suffers little sorrow, and dwells in fortune and plenty.
OE wynn „bliss": happiness is the absence of want – a safe roof, enough. It even became the OE letter Ƿ. → Wunjo in detail
In the Rune Poem. Hail is the whitest of grain; it whirls from the sky and turns to water.
OE hægl „hail": „the whitest of grain, turns to water". It opens the second ætt. → Hagalaz in detail
In the Rune Poem. Need oppresses the heart, yet often proves a help and salvation to the children of men, if they heed it in time.
OE nyd „need": oppressive, yet „often a help and healing, if heeded in time". → Nauthiz in detail
In the Rune Poem. Ice is cold and exceedingly slippery, glistening like glass, most like to gems.
OE is „ice": „clear as glass, most like gems" – beautiful and treacherous at once. → Isa in detail
In the Rune Poem. The harvest is the hope of men, when God lets the earth bring forth its fruits.
OE ger „(good) year, harvest" (→ English year): the hope of men for bright fruit. → Jera in detail
In the Rune Poem. The yew is a rough-barked tree, hard and fast in the earth, a guardian of flame and a joy upon the estate.
OE eoh „yew": „rough, hard, fast in the earth" – the evergreen tree, bow-wood. Not to be confused with Yr. → Eihwaz in detail
In the Rune Poem. Play and laughter ring out where brave men sit blithely together in the hall.
OE peorð – meaning unresolved; the hall context („play and laughter") suggests a dice- or lot-cup. → Perthro in detail
In the Rune Poem. The sedge dwells in the marsh; whoever grasps it, it sears the hand.
OE eolh-secg „elk-sedge": it wounds grimly – protection through defensiveness. → Algiz in detail
In the Rune Poem. The sun is ever a hope to seafarers, when they journey over the fishes' bath.
OE sigel „sun": the hope of seafarers. The doubled Sig-rune as „SS" is a modern abuse (see Black Sun). → Sowilo in detail
In the Rune Poem. Tir is a guiding star; well it keeps faith, never failing on its course across the night sky.
OE Tir = the god Tiw / a guiding star: „keeps faith, never fails". The one-handed war god. → Tiwaz in detail
In the Rune Poem. The birch bears no fruit, yet it grows green with shoots, fairly crowned.
OE beorc „birch": puts forth shoots without seed – an image of new beginnings. → Berkano in detail
In the Rune Poem. The horse is the pride of nobles, a comfort to the restless, a theme among the wealthy.
OE eh „horse": a joy to nobles, an image of trust and partnership. Dropped from the Younger Futhark. → Ehwaz in detail
In the Rune Poem. Man is dear to his kin, yet all are doomed to death.
OE mann „human": „dear to his kin, yet each must one day fail the other". → Mannaz in detail
In the Rune Poem. The water seems endless, when the tossing ship drifts upon the waves.
OE lagu „water, sea": „endless, when one ventures out on a tossing boat". → Laguz in detail
In the Rune Poem. Ing was first seen among the East-Danes, till he departed eastwards over the waves.
OE Ing = the god (Yngvi-Freyr), ancestor of the Ynglings: „first seen among the East-Danes, then eastwards over the sea". → Ingwaz in detail
In the Rune Poem. A home is dear to every man, where he enjoys prosperity in right and peace.
OE eþel „ancestral estate, home" (PG *ōþala): the kin’s inherited land. The Odal rune was politically misused in modern times. → Othala in detail
In the Rune Poem. The day is the Lord's messenger, light and hope, a joy to rich and poor.
OE dæg „day": „the glorious light of the Creator" – breakthrough and hope. → Dagaz in detail
In the Rune Poem. The oak fattens the swine with mast and gives sturdy timber for the sea.
Futhorc only: OE ac „oak". The poem: the acorn fattens the pigs, the oak-timber bears ships over the sea. → runology
In the Rune Poem. The ash towers high and holy, firm in its stand, a trusty shaft.
Futhorc only: OE æsc „ash" (also „spear"): „high and precious, offers stubborn resistance" – tree of the world-ash and of spear-shafts. → runology
In the Rune Poem. Ornament and defence of nobles, fair upon the horse, reliable on the journey.
Futhorc only, for /y/: OE yr – probably „bow" (of yew) or an ornamented object: „an adornment and honour to every prince". → runology
In the Rune Poem. The river-creature lives in the water, yet feeds on land, in a fair dwelling.
Futhorc only: OE ior – a water creature (eel/newt): „a river fish that yet feeds on land, encompassed by water". → runology
In the Rune Poem. The grave is grim to nobles, when the flesh grows cold and turns to clay.
Futhorc only: OE ear „earth, grave" – the death-rune: „horrible to all, when the corpse cools and is given to the dark earth". → runology
Rune-poem texts in the public domain after Bruce Dickins, Runic and Heroic Poems (Cambridge 1915), and the Norwegian and Icelandic Rune Poems. Interpretation, dating and etymology after R. I. Page (Runes), Michael Barnes (Runes – A Handbook), Klaus Düwel (Runenkunde) and Tineke Looijenga; on the Svingerud/Hole stone: Antiquity (2025). Where name or meaning is disputed, it is noted. In depth: runology overview & the 24 individual rune pages.
Freely after the Old English rune poem (public domain). © Glanz & Gravur.