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Posted on 07/16/2025 6:50:27 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
Cambridge scholars have finally cracked a 130-year-old medieval literary puzzle: the Song of Wade, a long-lost gem of English literature.
Previously believed to be a monster-filled epic, new research reveals it was actually a chivalric romance -- a tale of knights, battles, and courtly intrigue.
A few lines of text in an 800-year-old medieval sermon document stumped the literature scholars.
The breakthrough came from correcting a long-standing misreading in a medieval sermon: the word "elves" was mistakenly transcribed by a scribe, and the correct word is "wolves."
"Changing elves to wolves makes a massive difference. It shifts this legend away from monsters and giants into the human battles of chivalric rivals," said Seb Falk from the University of Cambridge.
Reportedly, medieval poet Geoffrey Chaucer twice alluded to an older work featuring the Germanic mythological character Wade... However, Chaucer's two references to Wade in the late 1300s had long puzzled scholars...
In Chaucer's The Merchant's Tale, the 60-year-old knight January cites Wade's boat while advocating for marrying younger women...
The discovery provides rare evidence of something quite unexpected in the Middle Ages: a medieval preacher referencing pop culture in a sermon.
"Here we have a late-12th-century sermon deploying a meme from the hit romantic story of the day. This is very early evidence of a preacher weaving pop culture into a sermon to keep his audience hooked," said Falk...
The sermon's author, whether Neckam or a disciple, was undoubtedly familiar with Wade and assumed their audience would grasp the reference.
(Excerpt) Read more at interestingengineering.com ...
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Peterhouse MS 255 open at the sermon's mention of Wade.Master and Fellows of Peterhouse / University of Cambridge
Thanks for the link!
Elrond Half-wolven.
One thing doesn’t make sense: one word does not change a monster-filled epic to courtly intrigue or chivalric romance. There would be a lot of other contacts for the form a poem takes.
The poems are missing !
All they have is the reference line !!!
A y versus v error
“ The corrected translation of the text alters its meaning: it changes from ‘Some are elves and some are adders; some are sprites that dwell by waters: there is no man, but Hildebrand only.’ to ‘Thus they can say, with Wade: ‘Some are wolves and some are adders; some are sea-snakes that dwell by the water. There is no man at all but Hildebrand.’”
Interesting. I’d never heard of Wade before and now I’ve learned something:
The Germanic poems and legends surrounding Wade—also known as Vadi in Norse and Wate in Middle High German—form a fascinating but fragmented tapestry of myth, romance, and folklore. Here’s what we know:
🧝♂️ Who Was Wade?
Mythological Origins: Wade is described as the son of King Vilkinus and a mermaid named Wachilt in the Þiðrekssaga, a Norse saga. This makes him a semi-divine figure with strong ties to the sea.
Family Ties: His son is the legendary smith Wayland (Völundr), and his possible brothers include Egil and Slagfin, mentioned in the Poetic Edda.
Folkloric Role: In Anglo-Saxon lore, Wade was known as the “Keeper of the Ford,” a ferryman and protector, often associated with water and mysterious exploits.
📜 Literary Mentions
Old English Poem “Widsith”: Wade is briefly mentioned, suggesting his fame among Germanic heroes.
Chaucer’s Allusions:
In Troilus and Criseyde, Pandarus tells the “tale of Wade” to stir romantic feelings.
In The Merchant’s Tale, “Wade’s boat” is referenced as a metaphor for trickery or sexual cunning.
Lost Poem – “The Song of Wade”:
Only three lines survive, found in a Latin sermon from the 12th century (Peterhouse MS 255).
Originally translated as involving “elves,” but recent scholarship by James Wade and Seb Falk argues they were actually “wolves,” shifting the tone from mythic to chivalric2.
🛶 Wade’s Boat – Guingelot
Magical Vessel: Chaucer’s references and later commentary suggest Wade’s boat, Guingelot, was magical, possibly winged, and used in daring exploits.
Symbolism: The boat became a metaphor for cunning and deception, especially in romantic or sexual contexts.
🏰 Folklore and Archaeology
Wat’s Dyke: A defensive earthwork along the England-Wales border may be named after Wade (as “Wat”), linking him to local Welsh poetry and monuments like the Maen Achwyfan cross.
Local Legends: Tales from North Yorkshire describe Wade and his wife Bell throwing hammers across moors, and Wade’s son hurling stones in frustration—blending myth with landscape features.
🧙 Influence and Legacy
Tolkien Connection: J.R.R. Tolkien based his character Eärendil on Wade, with the ship Vingilot echoing Guingelot2.
Cultural Meme: Scholars argue Wade was a kind of medieval “meme”—a recognizable heroic figure used to evoke themes of chivalry, romance, and moral lessons.
Changing he to she, leonard to lolita, makes no difference, that much I know.
'
After reading the summaries, I just knew Tolkien would play into it. These tales were probably very well known to him.
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