Weland, Christ, and the Smith in the Old English Charm <i>Wið Fǣrstice</i>

Abstract The identity of the smith in the Old English charm Wið Fǣrstice remains a subject of critical debate. This article, through close analysis of textual and visual analogues, advances a new interpretation: that the figure of the smith embodies a purposeful syncretism, conjoining Weland the legendary Germanic craftsman with Christ the sacred miracle-worker. The resulting composite allusion presents the smith as an archetypal, transcendent victor who, through laborious creation, subdues hostile, possibly airborne forces—including pagan deities, (elf-)smiths, and witches—thereby restoring order both cosmic and corporeal. A comparable convergence of Germanic folklore and Christian narrative informs the Nine Herbs Charm, where the hanging, herb-generating lord appears to blend attributes of Woden and Christ. This reading not only illuminates the enigmatic personae of Wið Fǣrstice, but also reveals the charm’s integrated mythopoetic design and broader cultural resonances in medieval Europe.