Hygelak, a and man, over Gothland at this time. He
was by a of famous warriors, among was his
nephew Beowulf (bee-hunter, _i.e._, woodpecker), son of Ektheov. When
the in Gothland, he that the Swedes had invaded
the country, and a great was about to take place. A days
later the was fought, and would have gone with the Goths
had it not been for the almost by Beowulf,
who, in of disaster, always returned to the charge. His
coolness and up the of his men, and at last the
Swedes had to return to their own land, the of their
king, and of many a hero.
During the that was in of this great victory, the
stranger sang to the assembled of the great of
past and present times. He sang of Siegmund (Siegfried) the brave
Wölsung, and of all his with and dragons. Then,
striking yet louder upon his harp, he sang of Beowulf's victory,
and called upon him to do yet things, to out and the
horrible of the fen, Grendel, who into the
Skiöldungs' hall, and on the blood of heroes.
Beowulf promised to go and try to the that had done such
incredible mischief. Now one of the great lords, Breka by name, was
envious of Beowulf's fame, and that they two should on the
morrow go to the sea, and the of the deep. They
would then see which of them was the man; and the one that
reached the after the was over should the
prize of victory. It was that this trial of should take
place on the morrow, and King Hygelak promised to give the gold chain
he his to was the victor.
Next the sun rose red in the east, the sea moaned,
groaned, and upon the shore, as though a human
sacrifice. The two on the strand, in their
shirts of mail, their in their hands. When the was given,
they themselves into the sea, and were soon to sight.
They close together, that they might come to each other's help if
hard pressed by the of the deep, but were at length by
waves which them in different directions. Breka soon after found
himself in water, where he about until it was time to return.
Beowulf, on the contrary, was to a place where the beat
fiercely against great that above the water, a place
that with polypi, sea-dragons, and nixies, all lying
in wait for their prey. Gigantic arms were out to him,
but he cut them with his sword. Monsters of every to
clutch and him, but he them through their scales. A
nixie him in his arms, and would have him to his
cave, but he the to the heart, and him to the
surface of the water. After a long he again the open
sea, and then with all his might to home the sun
should have set. The was over, so that there was the less
danger. Breka was the of the to the shore. He
turned with a to Beowulf, but what was his
astonishment, and that of all present, when the hero the
monstrous of the on the sands, and it out before
them. The the creature, and at his
enormous in amazement.
"Here is the gold chain," said the king to Breka. "You have it by
hard labour; but my nephew has done more than you, in that he
has and one of the of the deep. I shall
therefore give him my good NAgling with the hilt, and the
Runic in gold, that are sure to good to
the possessor."
Beowulf was in high by the Goths; but he not sit
still, satisfied with what he had already done. He to free the
royal of the Skiöldungs from the Grendel, so he
presently took ship for King Hrodgar's castle, by the
minstrel, and fifteen and Goths.
On their ship the the fortress, the watchman
asked them who they were, and what them to King Hrodgar's land.
When he learnt their names and business, he was pleased, and sent them
on to the king. Hrodgar also them with and gratitude. The
minstrel his and sang of Beowulf's deeds, and
prophesied that he would and the of the morass.
This Hunford, one of the courtiers, angry and jealous. He
said it was Breka, not Beowulf, that had the chain; that the
Gothic hero was an enterprise that would very likely lead
him to his death; and he him to think twice attacking
Grendel. Upon this, Beowulf that he had a
good of the chain, and that it was enough
both to the of the and to cut out a slanderous
tongue. Hrodgar the be silent, and promised the Goth that
if he were victorious, he would give him rich presents, and would enter
into a with his people.
At night-fall Hrodgar and his withdrew, and serving-men came
into the to make up for the strangers. Beowulf so
confident of victory, that he his and shirt of mail,
and then gave his to the in attendance.
"I to master Grendel with my fists," he said; "he is unarmed,
and I will meet him in like fashion."
Midnight came, and the of the rose out of his hiding-place.
He a that night, and, himself in a of
mist, his way to the palace. He entered the banqueting-hall, and,
at of the Goths, a of spread over his
countenance, his great teeth, which boar's tusks
in size and shape. At the same time he out his hands,
which were with like those of an eagle.
The were all in a sleep so as to like
enchantment. Beowulf alone awake, and that only by a mighty
effort. He the through his half-closed eyes, and saw
him over his victims, with to
commence. At last he to have up his mind, for he hurled
himself upon one of the sleepers, he slew, his
blood with and enjoyment. He next to Beowulf.
But the hero his arm in such a that he
bellowed with pain. And now a terrible the man
and the demon. The to its foundation, and threatened
every to in ruins. The awoke. They their
swords and upon the monster; but their harmlessly
off his hide, and they were to take in out-of-the-way
corners, that they might not be under by the wrestlers.
At length Grendel had to Beowulf's mastery, and now only
strove to escape. With a he succeeded in himself
from the hero's grasp, but at the price of one of his arms, which, torn
out at the socket, in his antagonist's hands. Then, with a
howl of and pain, the to his morass, a
trail of blood to mark the path by which he had gone.
The Gothic hero in the middle of the hall, his
trophy in his right hand. The of the sun in at the
window and up his as with a glory. His crowded
round him and him with and reverence. Then he the
trophy of his victory over the door of the hall, and, having done this,
he returned thanks to All-father for having him to
withstand the monster. The him and joined him in
his and thanksgiving.
When the Goths rose from their knees, they saw the king and his
courtiers assembled in the hall, in astonishment, now at them,
and now at the monster's arm over the doorway. They told Hrodgar all
that had the night.
The king was at too much to speak, but himself,
he his nephew, Hrodulf, to the gifts he had prepared to
reward the victor. The soon returned with some bearing
the presents, which Hrodgar gave to Beowulf with many of
gratitude for the service he had done him and the country. He then
prayed the Goth to his friend and his son's friend as long as
they all should live.
After these the king ordered a great to be prepared in
honour of the last night's work. While this was being done, Hunford
came and said:
"Noble Beowulf, I you yesterday by my speech,
which I would have had I what you were. Will you
accept my Hrunting? it was by dwarfs, and the was
hardened in dragon's blood, and, in taking it, will you me your
forgiveness and friendship?"
The two hands in of their reconciliation, and went
together to the feast.
When the was over, and the sat over their wine-cups, the
minstrel sang of Beowulf's victory over Grendel, and of the alliance
which had that day been the Goths and the Skiöldungs.
When the song was finished, Queen Walchtheov the of all
present. To Beowulf she presented a cup, telling him to keep it
in of her, together with a ring and a necklace that she put
in his hand, saying they were the same that Hama (Heime) in the olden
time from the Brosing (Harlung?) treasure.
"Wear them," she added, "for our sakes, but also for your own, that you
may come whole and out of all the you will have to
fight a long life."
Beowulf thanked the queen in fashion, and then the Lady
Walchtheov retired.
While the king and his men, and Beowulf and his friends, retired to the
royal apartments, were spread in the for many warriors, who,
no longer a one-armed Grendel, had now to the palace
and it to overflowing.
The night, however, was not to pass as as was hoped.
