Welcome into the oldest spaces in our imagination: the forest, the cottage, the mill, the castle, the market, the road, the endless river, the bottomless lake and the fireplace.  Welcome to the places where straw becomes gold, trees have diamond leaves, houses are ephemeral, and something lies in wait for us all.  Welcome to the fairy tales and folktales, the gossamer spaces between teller and story, between wolf light and midnight, between the spindle and the thread.  The fire is lit, the children are quiet, and the old wives have news of talking animals, robber bridegrooms, wicked stepmothers, clever maids, and wise fools.  Bring your work and let's spin some tales. There are wonders for you.

This course provides an introduction to the language and literature of Early Medieval England. You will learn a totally different language, learn to read and translate prose and poetry from the 8th-11th centuries, and acquire a basic background in the historical, linguistic, cultural, and theological issues of the Early Medieval period in the British Isles.  This is first and foremost a language course, and therefore unlike any other English course you've ever taken.