Kaunan

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"Kaun" redirects here. For the IATA location identifier KAUN, see Auburn Municipal Airport.
Kaunan
Kaunan

The k-rune ᚲ (Younger Futhark ᚴ, Anglo-Saxon Futhorc ᚳ) is called Kaun in both the Norwegian and Icelandic rune poems, meaning "ulcer". The reconstructed Proto-Germanic name is Kaunan. It is also occasionally known as Kenaz (torch).

The Elder Futhark shape is likely directly based on Old Italic c C 𐌂. The Younger Futhark / Futhorc shapes have parallels in Old Italic shapes of k K 𐌊 (compare the Negau helmet inscription).

  • Norwegian:
ᚴ Kaun er barna bǫlvan;
bǫl gørver nán fǫlvan.
Ulcer is fatal to children;
death makes a corpse pale.
  • Icelandic (glossed as Latin flagella "whip"):
ᚴ Kaun er barna böl
ok bardaga [för]
ok holdfúa hús.
flagella konungr.
Disease fatal to children
and painful spot
and abode of mortification.

In scenarios that assume a system of divination surrounding the Old Futhark, this is clearly seen as one of the less auspicious runes.

The corresponding Gothic letter is 𐌺 k, called kusma.

The Anglo-Saxon rune poem gives a name cen "torch", probably because the original name was no longer understood:

ᚳ Cen byþ cwicera gehwam, cuþ on fyre
blac ond beorhtlic, byrneþ oftust
ðær hi æþelingas inne restaþ.
The torch is known to every living man
by its pale, bright flame; it always burns
where princes sit within.


Rune alphabet see also: Rune poems · Runestones · Runology · Runic divination · Runes in popular culture
Elder Fuþark: ᚠ ᚢ ᚦ ᚨ ᚱ ᚲ ᚷ ᚹ ᚺ ᚾ ᛁ ᛃ   ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛊ ᛏ ᛒ ᛖ ᛗ ᛚ ᛜ ᛞ ᛟ          
Anglo-Saxon Fuþorc: ᚠ ᚢ ᚦ ᚩ ᚱ ᚳ ᚷ ᚹ ᚻ ᚾ ᛁ ᛄ   ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛋ ᛏ ᛒ ᛖ ᛗ ᛚ ᛝ ᛞ ᛟ   ᚪ ᚫ ᚣ ᛠ
Younger Fuþark: ᚠ ᚢ ᚦ ᚬ ᚱ ᚴ     ᚼ ᚾ ᛁ   ᛅ       ᛋ ᛏ ᛒ   ᛘ ᛚ       ᛦ        
transliteration: f u þ a r k g w h n i j a ï p z s t b e m l ŋ d o R a æ y ea
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