Its solution is 'quill pen and three fingers', 'whose figurative "journey" leaves a dark track of letters and words on the page'[1] and it stands accordingly as an important literary example of the international riddle type, the Writing-riddle, whose most basic form is 'white field, black seeds'.
[2] Ic seah wrætlice wuhte feower samed siþian; swearte wæran lastas, swaþu swiþe blacu.
Swift wæs on fore, fuglum framra; fleag on lyfte, deaf under yþe.
Dreag unstille winnende wiga se him wegas tæcneþ ofer fæted gold feower eallum.
It was swift on its journey, bolder than the birds; it flew across the air, dove under the water.