Merseburg charms

Merseburg Charms are magical spells that were first written down about 1,000 years ago in Germany. They were believed to have been used by the people of that time to protect themselves from evil, sickness, and other forms of harm that might come their way.

Imagine you're playing a game where you're a warrior going on a journey. But there are monsters and bad guys you have to fight along the way. The Merseburg Charms were like magical weapons in this game that the warriors would use to protect themselves and their friends from the bad guys.

The Merseburg Charms were written in a special language called Old High German. This language is so old that it's almost like a secret code that only a few people can understand today. But back then, it was the common language that people spoke.

One of the most famous Merseburg Charms is called "The Charm of Release". It was believed to help warriors who had been captured by the enemy to escape. The charm goes like this:

"Earendel bore himself bravely like a warrior
he journeyed into the land of the enemy.
His horse was running hard, his sword was drawn.
He released his companion who was held captive."

Basically, this means that the hero in the story was very brave and fought hard to rescue his friend from the bad guys. This charm was believed to give warriors strength and courage to do the same.

Another Merseburg Charm is called "The Charm of Healing". It was believed to help people who were sick or injured to feel better. The charm goes like this:

"Phol and Wodan rode into the woods,
And there Balder's foal sprained its foot.
It was charmed by Sinthgunt, her sister Sunna;
It was charmed by Frija, her sister Volla;
It was charmed by Wodan, as he well knew how:
Bone-sprain, like blood-sprain,
Like limb-sprain:
Bone to bone, blood to blood,
Limb to limb, as if they were glued."

This charm was believed to use the power of the gods to heal people's injuries and make them feel better.

In summary, Merseburg Charms were spells used by warriors and people of olden times to protect themselves from harm and to heal their injuries. They were written in a special language called Old High German and use the power of the gods to work their magic. Think of them like magic weapons in a game that help players win battles and feel better when they're hurt.