Fehu


The Fe rune represents the f-sound in the Younger Futhark and Futhorc alphabets. Its name means " wealth", cognate to English fee with the original meaning of "sheep" or "cattle".
The rune derives from the unattested but reconstructed Proto-Germanic *fehu in the Elder Futhark alphabet, with the original meaning of "money, cattle, wealth".
The corresponding letter of the Gothic alphabet is ? f, called faihu. 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.
The shape of the rune is likely based on Etruscan v ?, like Greek Digamma Ϝ and Latin F ultimately from Phoenician waw.

Rune poems

The name is recorded in all three rune poems:
Rune Poem:English Translation:

Old Norwegian

Fé vældr frænda róge;

føðesk ulfr í skóge.

Wealth is a source of discord amongst kin;

the wolf lives in the forest.

Old Icelandic

Fé er frænda róg

ok flæðar viti

ok grafseiðs gata

aurum fylkir.

Wealth is a source of discord amongst kin

and fire of the sea

and path of the serpent.

Anglo-Saxon

Feoh byþ frofur fira gehƿylcum;

sceal ðeah manna gehƿylc miclun hyt dælan

gif he ƿile for drihtne domes hleotan.

Wealth is a comfort to all;

yet must everyone bestow it freely,

if they wish to gain honour in the sight of the Lord.