Fehu

Template:Short description Template:Infobox rune Template:Contains special characters Fehu is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name for the rune Template:Runic (Template:Langx; Template:Langx), found as the first rune in all futharks (runic alphabets starting with F, U, Þ, Ą, R, K), i.e. the Germanic Elder Futhark, the Anglo-Frisian Futhark and the Norse Younger Futhark, with continued use in the later medieval runes, early modern runes and Dalecarlian runes.

It corresponds to the letter f in the Latin alphabet, but it can periodically shift into the sound value of v (compare "leaf" and "leaves").

Character

The shape of the rune is likely based on Etruscan v ⟨𐌅⟩ ⟨F⟩, like Greek Digamma ⟨⟩ and Latin ⟨F⟩ ultimately from Phoenician waw ⟨w⟩.

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 Template:Sectionlink).

Name

The root name is an ancient word for "livestock". Compare Template:Langx ("livestock, animal"), Template:Langx ("livestock, cattle"), Template:Langx ("livestock"), Template:Langx ("livestock, loose assets"), Template:Langx ("livestock, money"), ("livestock"), Template:Langx, pecūs ("livestock"), Template:Langx (paṧu, "livestock, cattle"). By extension, it also means '(loose) wealth' and thereof, thus surviving as fee in English with the meaning of "payment compensating for rights or services".

The Proto-Germanic name has been reconstructed as , with the meaning of "livestock, cattle" and by extension "wealth".

The corresponding letter of the Gothic alphabet is ⟨𐍆⟩ ⟨f⟩, called . Such correspondence between all rune poems and the Gothic letter name, as well, is uncommon, and gives the reconstructed name of the Old Futhark a high degree of certainty.

Rune poems

The name is recorded in all three rune poems:Template:Fcn

Old Norwegian: Template:Verse translation

Old Icelandic: Template:Verse translation

Anglo-Saxon: Template:Verse translation

See also

• Félag