Сборник самых известных английских легенд. Уровень 1. Сборник

night, after celebrating Grendel’s defeat, Hrothgar and his men were sleeping in Heorot. Grendel had gone home to die, but his mother, a fiend scarcely less terrible than her son[50], yet lived to avenge his death. She arose from her dwelling in the gloomy lake. Angered by the punishment of her son, Grendel’s mother appeared and attacked the hall. There was a horrible panic when her presence became known, and men ran hither and thither[51] vainly seeking to attack her. Grendel’s mother killed Hrothgar’s most trusted warrior, Aeschere[52], in revenge for Grendel’s defeat. Then she ran away.

      Hrothgar burst forth in uncontrollable emotion: “O Beowulf, help us if you can! Help is only to be found in you[53]. But yet you know not the dangerous place you must explore it if you seek the fiend in her den. I will richly reward your valour if you return alive from this hazardous journey.”

      Beowulf was touched by the sorrow of the grey-haired king, and replied, “Arise, my lord; let us scan the track left by the monster, for I promise you I will never lose it, wheresoever it may lead me.” So Hrothgar, Beowulf and their men tracked Grendel’s mother to her lair under a lake[54]. Beowulf prepared himself for battle, and went into the lake. He was swiftly detected and attacked by Grendel’s mother. However, she was unable to harm Beowulf through his armour and dragged him to the bottom of the lake. In a cavern containing Grendel’s body and the remains of men that the two had killed, Grendel’s mother and Beowulf engaged in fierce combat.

      At first, Grendel’s mother appeared to prevail. Beowulf, finding that his sword could not harm his foe, discarded it in fury. But Grendel’s mother had a magic sword which she kept in that cavern. Beowulf grabbed the magical sword, and with it won her. Travelling further into the lair, Beowulf discovered Grendel’s dying body and severed its head. The blade of the magic sword melted like ice when it touched Grendel’s toxic blood, until only the hilt was left. This hilt was the only treasure that Beowulf carried out of cavern, which he presented to Hrothgar upon his return[55] to Heorot. Hrothgar gave Beowulf many gifts, including the magic sword, his family’s heirloom[56].

      Beowulf returned home and eventually became king of his own people. He ruled the kingdom for many years. During that time he performed many great deeds.

      One day, fifty years after Beowulf’s battle with Grendel’s mother, a slave stole a golden cup from the lair of a dragon. When the dragon saw that the cup had been stolen, it left its cave in a rage, burning everything in sight. Beowulf and his warriors came to fight the dragon, but Beowulf told his men that he would fight the dragon alone and that they should wait on the barrow. Beowulf descended to do battle with the dragon but found himself outmatched. His men, upon seeing this display and fearing for their lives, crept back into the woods. One of his men, however, Wiglaf[57], who found great distress in seeing Beowulf’s plight, came to Beowulf’s aid. The two killed the dragon, but Beowulf was mortally wounded.

      Beowulf was buried on a cliff. The dragon’s treasure was buried with him, in accordance withBeowulf’s wishes[58], rather than distributed to his people, and there is a curse associated with the hoard to ensure that Beowulf’s wish is kept.

Упражнения

      1. Выберите правильный вариант:

      1. Scyld Scefing had come to Denmark in a boat loaded with bottles of rum.

      2. Scyld Scefing had come to England in a vessel loaded with treasures.

      3. Scyld Scefing had come to Denmark in a vessel loaded with treasures.

      4. Scyld Scefing had come to Denmark in a big ship.

      2. What colour was the banner which Scyld’s men put over his head when he died?

      1. red.

      2. black.

      3. white.

      4. golden.

      3. Who (or what) is Heorot?

      1. a mighty warrior.

      2. the great hall.

      3. a conqueror.

      4. a king.

      4. A goblin is

      1. a legendary evil or mischievous grotesque dwarf-like creature.

      2. a legendary creature with magic powers and supernatural beauty.

      3. a big and ugly creature that dwells in isolated rocks.

      4. a small, humanoid creature that lives underground.

      5. What did Cain do?

      1. Cain created his brother from one of his ribs.

      2. Cain ate fruit from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden.

      3. Cain created the world.

      4. Cain committed the first murder by killing his brother.

      6. Выберите правильный вариант:

      1. The feasting stopped for a few moments to honour the memory of the warrior.

      2. The feasting stopped for few moments to honour the memory of the warrior.

      3. The feasting stopped for a little moments to honour the memory of the warrior.

      4. The feasting stopped for little moments to honour the memory of the warrior.

      7. О ком здесь говорится:

      Terrible was he, dangerous to men, of extraordinary strength, human in shape but gigantic of stature, covered with a green horny skin

      1. Hrothgar

      2. Wiglaf

      3. Grendel

      4. Aeschere

      8. Выберите нужный глагол:

      The monster ____________________ the strength of thirty men in the grip of Beowulf’s hands, and he was frightened.

      1. The monster will feel the strength of thirty men in the grip of Beowulf’s hands, and he was frightened.

      2. The monster feeling the strength of thirty men in the grip of Beowulf’s hands, and he was frightened.

      3. The monster felt the strength of thirty men in the grip of Beowulf’s hands, and he was frightened.

      4. The monster feet the strength of thirty men in the grip of Beowulf’s hands, and he was frightened.

50

scarcely less terrible than her son – не менее ужасная, чем её сын

51

hither and thither – туда-сюда

52

Aeschere – Эшер

53

Help is only to be found in you. – Только ты сможешь помочь.

54

under a lake – на дне озера

55

upon his return – по своему возвращению

56

family’s heirloom – фамильная реликвия

57

Wiglaf – Виглаф

58

in accordance with wishes – согласно воле