Haglaz


*Haglaz or *Hagalaz is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name of the h-rune, meaning "hail".
In the Anglo-Saxon futhorc, it is continued as hægl, and, in the Younger Futhark, as hagall. The corresponding Gothic letter is ? [Image:Gothic h.png|14px|h] h, named hagl.
The Elder Futhark letter has two variants, single-barred and double-barred. The double-barred variant is found in continental inscriptions, while Scandinavian inscriptions have exclusively the single-barred variant.
The Anglo-Frisian futhorc in early inscriptions has the Scandinavian single-barred variant. From the 7th century, it is replaced by the continental double-barred variant, the first known instances being found on a Harlingen solidus, and in the Christogram on St Cuthbert's coffin.
Haglaz is recorded in all three rune poems:
Rune Poem:English Translation:

Old Norwegian

Hagall er kaldastr korna;

Kristr skóp hæimenn forna.

Hail is the coldest of grain;

Christ created the world of old.

Old Icelandic

Hagall er kaldakorn

ok krapadrífa

ok snáka sótt.

Hail is cold grain

and shower of sleet

and sickness of serpents.

Old English

Hægl bẏþ hƿitust corna;

hƿẏrft hit of heofones lẏfte,

ƿealcaþ hit ƿindes scura;

ƿeorþeþ hit to ƿætere sẏððan.

Hail is the whitest of grain;

it is whirled from the vault of heaven

and is tossed about by gusts of wind

and then it melts into water.