NameProto-GermanicOld EnglishOld Norse
*RaidōRādReið
"ride, journey"
ShapeElder FutharkFuthorcYounger Futhark
Unicode
U+16B1
Transliterationr
Transcriptionr
IPA[r]
Position in
rune-row
5

*Raidō "ride, journey" is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name of the r- rune of the Elder Futhark . The name is attested for the same rune in all three rune poems, Old Norwegian Ræið Icelandic Reið, Anglo-Saxon Rad, as well as for the corresponding letter of the Gothic alphabet 𐍂 r, called raida. The shape of the rune may be directly derived from Latin R.

Rune Poem:[1] English Translation:

Old Norwegian
Ræið kveða rossom væsta;
Reginn sló sværðet bæzta.


Riding is said to be the worst thing for horses;
Reginn forged the finest sword.

Old Icelandic
Reið er sitjandi sæla
ok snúðig ferð
ok jórs erfiði.
iter ræsir.


Riding is of sitting a blessing
and swift journey
and horses toiling

Anglo-Saxon
Rad bẏþ on recẏde rinca gehƿẏlcum
sefte ond sƿiþhƿæt, ðamðe sitteþ on ufan
meare mægenheardum ofer milpaþas.


Riding seems easy to every warrior while he is indoors
and very courageous to him who traverses the high-roads
on the back of a stout horse.

References

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  1. ^ Original poems and translation from the Rune Poem Page.
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