Cædmon's Hymn facts for kids
Cædmon's Hymn is a very old and short poem written in Old English. It was written by a man named Cædmon and is all about God. We know about it because a famous monk named Bede wrote about it in his book, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (which means A History of the English Church and People). Bede even included a Latin translation of the poem in his book. Many copies of Bede's book helped keep Cædmon's poem alive through the centuries.
Who Was Cædmon?
Bede tells an amazing story about Cædmon. Cædmon was a simple cow-herder who couldn't read or write. He also couldn't sing, which was a problem at parties! Back then, people would pass a harp around, and everyone would take turns singing a song. Cædmon felt embarrassed because he couldn't join in.
One night, he left a party early because he felt ashamed. He went to sleep in the barn with the animals. In his dream, a mysterious man appeared to him and asked him to sing. Cædmon replied that he couldn't sing. But the man insisted, telling him, "You can! Sing to me the beginning of all things."
Suddenly, Cædmon found himself singing beautiful verses and words he had never heard before! When he woke up, he remembered the song. He told his boss, and then they went to see Hild, the abbess (the head nun) of the monastery.
Hild was very impressed. She invited scholars to listen to Cædmon's gift. Everyone agreed it was a special talent. Hild asked Cædmon to become a monk and use his gift to turn stories from the Bible and Church teachings into songs. Cædmon lived a long and productive life as a monk, creating many songs about Christian history and beliefs.
What Does Cædmon's Hymn Say?
Cædmon's Hymn is a song of praise to God as the creator of everything. It talks about how God made the heavens and the Earth. It's a powerful and simple poem that celebrates the beginning of the world.
Here is the modern English translation of Cædmon's Hymn:
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Images for kids
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Folio 129r of the early eleventh-century Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Hatton 43, showing a page of Bede's Latin text, with Cædmon's Hymn added in the lower margin
