View source for Fehu

{{short description|Runic alphabet letter}}
{{Infobox rune
| lang1 = pg| lang2 = oe| lang3 = on
| name1 = '''*Fehu'''
| name2 = '''Feoh'''
| name3 = '''Fé'''
| meaning13 = "[[livestock]] → [[personal property|(loose) wealth]]"
| shape13 = [[File:Runic letter fehu.svg|x50px|class=skin-invert-image]]
| unicode hex13 = 16A0
| transliteration13 = '''f'''
| transcription1 = ''f''
| transcription2 = ''f''
| transcription3 = ''f''
| IPA13 = {{IPA|[f]}}
| position13 = 1
}}
{{Contains special characters|Runic|width=30em}}
'''Fehu''' is the [[linguistic reconstruction|reconstructed]] [[Proto-Germanic language|Proto-Germanic]] name for the [[Runes|rune]] '''{{runic|ᚠ}}''' ({{langx|non|[[:wikt:fé|fé]]}}; {{langx|ang|[[:wikt:feoh|feoh]]}}), found as the first rune in all [[futhark]]s (runic alphabets starting with F, U, Þ, Ą, R, K), i.e. the [[Elder Futhark|Germanic Elder Futhark]], the [[Anglo-Saxon runes|Anglo-Frisian Futhark]] and the [[Younger Futhark|Norse Younger Futhark]], with continued use in the later [[medieval runes]], [[early modern runes]] and [[Dalecarlian runes]].{{cn|date=January 2025}}

It corresponds to the letter [[f]] in the [[Latin alphabet]], but it can periodically shift into the sound value of [[v]] (compare "lea<u>f</u>" and "lea<u>v</u>es").{{cn|date=January 2025}}

== Character ==
The shape of the rune is likely based on [[Etruscan alphabet|Etruscan]] ''v'' ⟨𐌅⟩ ⟨[[File:EtruscanF-01.png|14px|F]]⟩, like Greek [[Digamma]] ⟨{{lang|grc|Ϝ}}⟩ and Latin ⟨[[F]]⟩ ultimately from [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]] [[waw (letter)|waw]] ⟨[[File:Phoenician waw.svg|14px|w]]⟩.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}

The change of the bistaves pointing upward could stem from visually diverging it from the rune [[ᚨ]], as well as linking it visually to the horns of cattle (see {{sectionlink||Name}}).{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

== Name ==
The root name is an ancient word for "livestock". Compare {{langx|sv|fä}} ("livestock, animal"), {{langx|nl|vee}} ("livestock, cattle"), {{langx|de|Vieh}} ("livestock"), {{langx|non|fé}} ("livestock, loose assets"), {{langx|ang|feoh}} ("livestock, money"), {{lang|gem-x-proto|fehu}} ("livestock"), {{langx|la|pecū}}, ''pecūs'' ("livestock"), {{langx|sa|पशु}} (''paṧu'', "livestock, cattle"). By extension, it also means '[[Personal property|(loose) wealth']] and thereof, thus surviving as ''[[fee]]'' in English with the meaning of "payment compensating for rights or services".{{cn|date=January 2025}}

The [[Proto-Germanic language|Proto-Germanic]] name has been [[linguistic reconstruction|reconstructed]] as {{lang|gem-x-proto|fehu}}, with the meaning of "livestock, cattle" and by extension "wealth".<ref name=PAGE15>[[Raymond Ian Page|Page, Raymond I.]] (2005) ''Runes''. The British Museum Press. p. 15. {{ISBN|0-7141-8065-3}}</ref>

The corresponding letter of the [[Gothic alphabet]] is ⟨𐍆⟩ ⟨f⟩, called {{Lang|got|faihu}}. Such correspondence between all rune poems and the Gothic letter name, as well, is uncommon, and gives the reconstructed name of the [[Elder Futhark|Old Futhark]] a high degree of certainty.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

== Rune poems ==
The name is recorded in all three [[rune poem]]s:<ref>Original poems from the [https://web.archive.org/web/19990501094729/http://www.ragweedforge.com/poems.html Rune Poem Page].</ref>{{fcn|date=June 2022}}

[[Old Norwegian]]:
{{verse translation|language=non
|{{runic|ᚠ}} Fé vældr frænda&nbsp;róge;
føðesk ulfr í skóge.
|Fee causes strife amongst [[Kinship|kin]];
the wolf lives in the forest.}}

[[Old Icelandic]]:
{{verse translation|language=is
|{{nowrap|{{runic|ᚠ}} Fé er frænda róg · ok flæðar viti}}
ok grafseiðs gata
|Fee is strife of kin and beacon of floods (the sea)
and grave-[[saithe]]'s path (serpent's path).}}

[[Old English|Anglo-Saxon]]:
{{verse translation|language=ang
|{{runic|ᚠ}} Feoh bẏþ frofur · fira&nbsp;gehƿẏlcum;
sceal ðeah manna gehƿẏlc · miclun hẏt dælan
gif he ƿile for drihtne · domes hleotan.
|Fee is a comfort to every man;
yet must everyone bestow it freely,
if they wish to gain honour in the sight of the Lord.
}}

== See also ==
* [[Félag]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Runes}}

[[Category:Runes]]