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Paired with the Eh is the Man rune, which can be translated as human being, or perhaps as Mannus, the Germanic Adam and archetypical pattern of the race. In the rune poems it is used simply as everyman, the consensus of opinion being: "man is the augmentation of the dust." This rather depressing note is maintained through all the major rune poems. The notion of man is linked with the inevitability of death. Man equals mortal.

Certainly the Teutons saw enough of their kin slaughtered to have no illusions about human grandeur. One of the rune stones reads: "Vidken the priest wrote me, and here I shall stand for a while"-showing that not even the stones were looked upon as permanent. The pessimistic tone of the rune poems may be due to the influence of Christianity and should not be projected back onto the pagan roots of the runes. Qualities that distinguish humanity from the beasts are intelligence, speech and free will. The rune Man stands for the mental virtues. Other facets of Man are the power of imagination, the urge to worship and the manipulation of the environment. It is the human soul that energizes these abilities.

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MEANINGS:

UPRIGHT:

Intelligence, imagination, foresight, logic, skill, craftsmanship, artistry, vision, insight, invention, perception, ideas, eloquence, the method to an end, design, pattern, plan, structure, order, a Magus.

REVERSED:

Cunning, slyness, deception, craftiness, calculation, misdirection, sleight of hand, manipulation of others, double-dealing, fraud a con artist, master of illusion, shape-changer, wearer of masks.

KEY: INTELLIGENCE