The Tale of Beowulf, Sometime King of the Folk of the Weder Geats. Anonymous

grey sarks therewith, and the helms all bevisor'd,

      And a heap of the war-shafts? Now am I of Hrothgar

      The man and the messenger: ne'er saw I of aliens

      So many of men more might-like of mood.

      I ween that for pride-sake, no wise for wrack-wending

      But for high might of mind, ye to Hrothgar have sought.

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      Unto him then the heart-hardy answer'd and spake,

      The proud earl of the Weders the word gave aback,

      The hardy neath helm: Now of Hygelac are we

      The board-fellows; Beowulf e'en is my name,

      And word will I say unto Healfdene's son,

      To the mighty, the folk-lord, what errand is mine,

      Yea unto thy lord, if to us he will grant it

      That him, who so good is, anon we may greet.

      

      Spake Wulfgar the word, a lord of the Wendels,

      And the mood of his heart of a many was kenned,

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      His war and his wisdom: I therefore the Danes' friend

      Will lightly be asking, of the lord of the Scyldings,

      The dealer of rings, since the boon thou art bidding,

      The mighty folk-lord, concerning thine errand,

      And swiftly the answer shall do thee to wit

      Which the good one to give thee aback may deem meetest.

      Then turn'd he in haste to where Hrothgar was sitting

      Right old and all hoary mid the host of his earl-folk:

      Went the valour-stark; stood he the shoulders before

      Of the Dane-lord: well could he the doughty ones' custom.

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      So Wulfgar spake forth to his lord the well-friendly:

      Hither are ferry'd now, come from afar off

      O'er the field of the ocean, a folk of the Geats;

      These men of the battle e'en Beowulf name they

      Their elder and chiefest, and to thee are they bidding

      That they, O dear lord, with thee may be dealing

      In word against word. Now win them no naysay

      Of thy speech again-given, O Hrothgar the glad-man:

      For they in their war-gear, methinketh, be worthy

      Of good deeming of earls; and forsooth naught but doughty

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      Is he who hath led o'er the warriors hither.

      VII. BEOWULF SPEAKETH WITH HROTHGAR, AND TELLETH HOW HE WILL MEET GRENDEL.

      Word then gave out Hrothgar the helm of the Scyldings:

      I knew him in sooth when he was but a youngling,

      

      And his father, the old man, was Ecgtheow hight;

      

      Unto whom at his home gave Hrethel the Geat-lord

      His one only daughter; and now hath his offspring

      All hardy come hither a lief lord to seek him.

      For that word they spake then, the sea-faring men,

      E'en they who the gift-seat for the Geat-folk had ferry'd,

      Brought thither for thanks, that of thirty of menfolk

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      The craft of might hath he within his own handgrip,

      That war-strong of men. Now him holy God

      For kind help hath sent off here even to us,

      We men of the West Danes, as now I have weening,

      'Gainst the terror of Grendel. So I to that good one

      For his mighty mood-daring shall the dear treasure bid.

      Haste now and be speedy, and bid them in straightway,

      The kindred-band gather'd together, to see us,

      And in words say thou eke that they be well comen

      To the folk of the Danes. To the door of the hall then

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      Went Wulfgar, and words withinward he flitted:

      He bade me to say you, my lord of fair battle,

      The elder of East-Danes, that he your blood knoweth,

      And that unto him are ye the sea-surges over,

      Ye lads hardy-hearted, well come to land hither;

      And now may ye wend you all in war-raiment

      Under the battle-mask Hrothgar to see.

      But here let your battle-boards yet be abiding,

      With your war-weed and slaughter-shafts, issue of words.

      Then rose up the rich one, much warriors around him,

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      Chosen heap of the thanes, but there some abided

      The war-gear to hold, as the wight one was bidding.

      Swift went they together, as the warrior there led them,

      Under Hart's roof: went the stout-hearted,

      The hardy neath helm, till he stood by the high-seat.

      Then Beowulf spake out, on him shone the byrny,

      His war-net besown by the wiles of the smith:

      Hail to thee, Hrothgar! I am of Hygelac

      Kinsman and folk-thane; fair deeds have I many

      Begun in my youth-tide, and this matter of Grendel

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      On the turf of mine own land undarkly I knew.

      'Tis the seafarers' say that standeth this hall,

      The best house forsooth, for each one of warriors

      All idle and useless, after the even-light

      Under the heaven-loft hidden becometh.

      Then lightly they learn'd me, my people, this lore,

      E'en the best that there be of the wise of the churls,

      O Hrothgar the kingly, that thee should I seek to,

      Whereas of the might of my craft were they cunning;

      For they saw me when came I from out of my wargear,

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      Blood-stain'd from the foe whenas five had I bounden,

      Quell'd the kin of the eotens, and in the wave slain

      The nicors by night-tide: strait need then I bore,

      Wreak'd the grief of the Weders, the woe they had gotten;

      I ground down the wrathful; and now against Grendel

      I here