*Raidō "ride" (by extension "journey, wagon etc") 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.

{| class="wikitable"

| Rune Poem:

| English Translation:

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Old Norwegian

<br /> Ræið kveða rossom væsta;

<br />Reginn sló sværðet bæzta.

|

<br />Riding is said to be the worst thing for horses;

<br />Reginn forged the finest sword.

|-

|

Old Icelandic

<br /> Reið er sitjandi sæla

<br />ok snúðig ferð

<br />ok jórs erfiði.

<br />iter ræsir.

|

<br />Riding is of sitting a blessing

<br />and swift journey

<br />and horses toiling

|-

|

Old English

<br /> Rad bẏþ on recẏde rinca gehƿẏlcum

<br />sefte ond sƿiþhƿæt, ðamðe sitteþ on ufan

<br />meare mægenheardum ofer milpaþas.

|

<br />Riding seems easy to every warrior while he is indoors

<br />and very courageous to him who traverses the high-roads

<br />on the back of a stout horse.

|}

References

  • Futhark (ancientscripts.com)
  • Runes around the North Sea and on the Continent AD 150-700 by J. H. Looijenga (dissertation, Groningen University)