UC-NRLF

^B 3Dfi 3D7

mj^

O mtih

BEOWULF AND THE OLD WIFE OF THE

iiMfl{^i-A^

Rf.

[RA<r'<c>^o/f^

NEW YORK
WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON
1900

BERKELEY

LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OP

CALIFORNIA

T>r7GiTi0i

umi

t^

^x:>.

/^^ //

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in

2008

with funding from

IVIicrosoft

Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/beowulfheroofangOOragorich

Uales ot tbe Iberoic Uqcb

Siegfried,

Hero

of

the North

Beowulf, Hero of the Anglo=Saxons

Frithjof,

Viking

of

Norway

Roland, Paladin of France

121110,

boards

WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON

New York

XTales of tf3e Iberoic

Uqcs

BEOWULF
THE HERO OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS

BY

ZENAIDE

A.

RAGOZIN

Member

of the Societe Ethnologique and Athenee Oriental, Paris of the

American Oriental Society of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great
Britain and Ireland of the Anglo-Russian Literary Society,
London ; of the Historical Society of the University of Texas.
;

of "History of the World," "Story of Chaldea," "Story of

Assyria," "Story of Media, Babylon and Persia," "Story of Vedic
India," "Tales of Heroic Ages," "Siegfried, Hero of the
North and Kriemhilde's Great Revenge," " Frithjof,
Viking of Norway," "Roland, Paladin of France."

Author

ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE

T.

TOBIN

NEW YORK
WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON
1900

Copyright, 1898
BY
G. P.

PUTNAM'S SONS

Entered at Stationers' Hall, London

/r

Ube

OMCaJ ^^-L

6-<-/w

ftnicfterbocher press, flew J^orb

Contents

BEOWULF
PAGE

Prologue

213

LA V I.GRENDEL
Heorot
Grendel

I.

II.

III.

Friend in Need

The
V.
The
VI.
The
VII. The
VIII. The
IV.

Warden

....
....
....
....

226
228

Arrival
Reception and thk Pledge
Feast

237

Combat

244

231

234

Rejoicings and Thanksgivings

Heorot Restored Feasting and Gifts

IX.

249

X.

LAY
I.

219
222

II. GRENDEL' S

253

MOTHER

The Avenger

259
263

II. The Mere

III.
Under the Waters

IV. The Return

V.
Vr.

Last Words

267

272

275

Homeward Bound

283

VII. At Home

287

LAY III THE DRAGON

I.

The Treasure

294

The Attack
III. WiGLAF
II.

299
304

Victory and Death

v. Wiglaf's Rebuke Dismay and Tears

IV,

VI.

The

Obsequies

Note on the

"

Beowulf

307
.

313
318

"

323

806

PROLOGUE

AMONG

the nations of the far North,

more hardy,
none whose deeds
nobler, than the Danes
in war were sung of more proudly at the
there was none braver,

and thane.
Many were the
kings whose names came from the inspired lips of Skalds, as their hands struck
the stringed harp, in warlike or in mournful chords but of these names none were
feasts of earl

treasured more reverently than those of

the

Skyldings,

the

oldest

royal

house
a very

known to Danish tradition.

It is
long time over a thousand years since
the Danes ruled in England.
Yet even
then the deeds of the Skyldings were

So long ago that they

had become mixed up with much fable
and especially the beginnings of the fatales of long ago.

213


Beowulf

214

mous

race were so Intertwined with the

wonders

of

quity that

it

heathen Scandinavian antihas never been possible ta

how much was history and

how much myth.
The father of the race, Skyld of the
Sheaf, was great in the memory of his

decide exactly

people.

With

his nobles

his ethelings

he had wrested lands and glory from many

a neighbouring tribe aye, and many a
the dread of him fell on
distant one, too
the bravest warriors he waxed great un~
der the sun, he flourished in peace, till
that every one of the neighbouring peoples over the sea was constrained to obey^
him and pay tribute and the world said
That was a good
of him when he died,
king!"
Yet Skyld was not born to the crown.
In fact no one knew anything of his birtk
and parentage. He was sent, it was said,
just when the country had need of a deHe had come one
liverer and leader.
over the sea, in a
day,
so the story ran,
beautiful ship, a new-born infant, bedded

''

on sheaves

of wheat,

when

the Danish.

215

Prologue
people were

in sore

distress because of

the wickedness of the

man who

was,

at:

the time, king over them.

This man's name, Heremod, went down,,

unforgotten, but unhonoured, through:
many a generation, a by-word for bad
He was, in everything, the dimonarchs.
rect contrary of what a good ruler ought
He used his power, not for his
to be.
nobles' benefit or pleasure, but to deal
them wanton harm and even death. For
his ungovernable temper grew on him,,
until, in his furious fits, he would strike
and kill, though it were his closest followers, his companions at the board and in
the battle.

In

his

soul

there

grew a

bloodthirsty passion, and he suffered the

penalty of his evil doings in the estrange-

ment

of his friends, the settled dislike of

would stand
his presence no longer, and he wandered
forth alone, away from all human society,
and was never heard of more.
It was
his people, until at last they

then that Skyld, the mysterious foundling, the Heaven-sent, seized on the government, brought order and plenty into


Beowulf

2i6

won

the land, and

love from his people^

respect from his foes.

son was born to King Skyld in

his prime, a beautiful child, whom God
sent for the people's comfort and solace

From

Beowulf, sole heir to the throne.

his earliest years

he was

full of

promise,

a model of what a young chief should

be while still in his father's care
always ready with gracious words and
open hand, so that in his riper age willing comrades in return were ready to
stand by him in war, and men gladly
did his bidding.
Then, surrounded and
assisted by devoted friends who grew
up with him, he was enabled to perform
deeds which filled the world with praise
of him.

As

for Skyld,

he departed,

in

the

ful-

ness of time, ripe in honours and years,

to

go

into the

Master's

His

keeping.

faithful comrades then carried him forth

to the shore of the sea, as he himself had

ordered.

The

have no part
him,

the

in

black,

heavy earth should

him

the sea had brought

ever-moving,

many-hued

the

Prologue

217

sea should bear him hence, after his long

years of power.

There

at

anchor rode the

ing fresh, outward bound,

Down

fit

ship, glisten-

for a prince.

they laid their illustrious dead, the

dear chief of the land, dispenser of boun-

on the lap of the ship, by the mast.

There was great store of precious things
ornaments from remote parts, weapons of
rare worth, mail armour finely wrought,
and harness glittering in silver and in
gold a multitude of treasures, which were
to pass with him far away into the watery
realm.
Furthermore they set by him the
royal banner, gold-broidered, high over his
head.
As its folds unfurled and glittered
in the breeze, it told the skies, and the
sun, and the stars of night, that a King
went forth into the world, on his last voyage.
They set the helm, and gave him
ties,

over to the ocean, sad at heart, with tear-

dimmed

eyes,

and

silent in their

mourn-

And Who received that burthen

no man under heaven, be it priest or chiefing.

tain or wise seer, can ever tell or

Thus Skyld

of the Sheaf

know.

was honoured

2l8

Beowulf

death after the manner of the mighty

dead of oldest times among the stronghearted sons of the North.
From the
in

Unknown he came and

was borne away.

into the

Unknown

LAY

GRENDEL
HEOROT

THEN

Beowulf of the Skyldings

sat in

the seat of his father, loved of his

people, for a long time famous
nations,

son.

and was succeeded

The

royal

race

of

among

the

by

his

in turn

the Skyldings

prospered greatly, and when the crown

came to his grandson Hrothgar, its greatness seemed assured for

Hrothgar was a youth of goodly parts brave

all

time.

and ambitious in war, yet delighting in

the gentle works of peace, a born commander always. So that his brothers and
cousins gladly took him for their leader,
219

Beowulf

2 20

and a young brood of devoted clansmen

grew up around him, valiant in battle,
merry companions at the board. With
these he did some mighty deeds, winning
renown and riches, when they were young
together, and as together they grew old,
he loved to sit with them at the feast, enjoying well-earned

rest,

rehearsing the

and joys of the brave old days, and

listening to sweet minstrelsy from the lips

toils

of God-inspired bards.

Now

Hrothgar was very wealthy and

his comrades were too many for an ordinary hall, even that of a king's palace.
So he bethought him of having men build
for him a great banqueting-hall, greater
than the children of men had ever heard
tell of, that he might spend there happy,
careless days,

dealing out freely to old

and young the goods that God had blessed

him with.

The fame

work spread rapidly

and widely, and more than one tribe curiIt came to
ously watched its progress.
of the

an end with a quickness which surprised

all men, and there the fair structure stood.

Heorot

221

towering aloft into the blue air, the greatest of all hall buildings, a gathering place
for happy men, defying destruction except
from the irresistible might of fire. It was
Hart-hall
because of the
called Heorot
noble crown of antlers which ran round
and the openthe eaves of the building,

ing banquet was an event long

remem-

from the bountiful

hospitality dispensed by the King and the
wealth of gifts, in rings and other precious
things, which he gave away with almost
reckless lavishness on this occasion.
bered

in

the

land,

II

GRENDEL
was one apart from
BUT there
who was consumed with

all this

joy

and with hatred, who vowed

joy into direst

grief,

malice

to turn the

the shouts of glad-

moans and wails, ere many days

True, no human
had come and gone.
wight was he, but one of the unholy brood
ness into

of monsters, accursed of God,

in

who

dwell

moors, fens, and swamps, remote from

God-fearing men, ever bent on doing

work of harm and destruction

posterity (so wise
first

men

hell's

the unblest

tell) of

Cain, the

shedder of innocent blood.

To

this Grendel, this outcast creature,

dwelling in darkness,

it

was torture un-

bearable to hear the sounds of rejoicing

day by day, as they came, borne by the
222

Grendel
wind

to him, across the

223

moor

the tender

sighing of the harp, the ringing song of

the minstrel.

Once, one skilled

in

holy song told of

the creation of the world

rnighty

made

the

how

the Al-

radiant

earth,

with

beauty, and the waters that encompass

it,

delighting in His work and how He or^

dained the siin and the moon, for light to
the dwellers on the earth, and made the
woods beautiful with boughs and leaves
and how He put life into all the things
that breathe and move.
Grimly the wicked one hearkened to the
strain, which fed his unholy fury until it
;

craved for slaughter,

He

fell,

immediate.

set out that very night, as

darkness descended, made

the lofty

hall.

He

did not

soon as

straight

much

for

fear de-

he knew that after such a

carousal the warriors would be overcome
with sleep.
And truly, there they lay, in
the hall itself, with their weapons by their
tection,

side,

for

yet helpless as unarmed

women.

He

went, and, in their sleep, seized and killed

thirty of the thanes

then hied him back

Beowulf

224
to his

moor with the war

spoils, yelling

with fierce joy.

Then was there a great cry in the grey

morning.
The voice of weeping was
raised where but now the song of gladness
had filled the air. Dazed and woe-begone,
King

and wept
But when, the very next
night, Grendel returned and committed
even greater murder, and again and
again after that, terror seized on them all.
Men kept in close hiding from nightfall
the

sat in his high place,

for his thanes.

to break of day, then gradually left their

own

well-appointed

homes,

sleeping

in

in the open, away from dwellwherever they thought they could

but
best bestow themselves for safety
naught availed to save. For twelve winters' space the baleful fiend warred singlehanded against the Skyldings and their
friends, till all the best houses stood deserted.
Unbounded were the sorrows of
that dreadful time, unspeakable the distress, and the fame thereof was carried to
foreign lands in ballads and moving tales.
Men dared not go within miles of the

barns or
ings,

fated

moor

so travel

was stopped,

trib-

Grendel

225

ute remained unpaid for the foul ruffian,

a dark shadow of death prowled about
;

and

lay in wait.

Of night he

held the misty moors

what way the

continually

and no one knew

hellish birth

moved

in his

rounds, for never was the monster seen of

As

man.

to Heorot, the richly decorated

Grendel made that his headquarters,

and occupied it every dark night. Only
he was never able to come near the throne,
because it stood on a consecrated spot,
and was hallowed by priestly benison.
hall,

was
this that had come on the Skyldings and
their friends.
Many a time and oft did
the best and wisest sit in council, seeking
what were best be done in these awful
straits.
So sorely were they bested, that
they forgot at times that they were Christians, and more than once craved help
great

affliction,

heart-breaking,

against the goblin visitant from the old

heathen gods, vowing

sacrifices at their

secret shrines.

Thus was King Hrothgar

perpetually

tossed with the trouble of that time, and

not
evil.

all

his

wisdom availed

to

ward

off

the

Ill

A FRIEND IN NEED

THERE lived

at that time

among

the

Goths, at the right hand of their King,

Hygelac, a young thane, his cousin, of the
name of Beowulf. He was, as his name betokened, one of the Skylding race, but only
in

the female

had won

nown

for

Young as he was, he
himself a name of wide reline.

as a hero of high achievement

the mightiest

Now,

this

and

among all the men of his time.

brave thane,

in

his distant

home, heard of the misdeeds of Grendel,

and his heart ached for the aged King, the
evening of whose days was clouded over
by such unheard-of tribulation. He made
up his mind to help, and sued to King
Hygelac for permission to undertake the
venture with a few picked comrades. His
friends of the King's council and board
226

Friend

in

Need

praised the gallant youth to

227
the

skies.

They egged on

his daring spirit, they took

signs on his behalf;
consulted
and
omens
but they did not begrudge him the adventure, wise men that they were, even though
he was dear to them.
Beowulf ordered a good ship to be made
ready for him, to take him over the road
He selected fourteen
that swans travel.^
champions among the Goths, the keenest
he could find, and went to sea with them^
having made sure ofa skilful, experienced
and the
pilot, who knew the shallows
Like a bird the good ship, tightdeeps.

timbered, slender-necked, sped before the

made such way that on the next

day already the eager voyagers saw land,
gleaming cliffs, hills towering, headlands
wind, and

stretching out to sea

ended.
ashore,

Lightly

made

the

the passage
ethelings

fast the ship,

was

sprang

shook out their

garments, saw to their arms, and gave

thanks to God for that their seafaring had

been easy.
'

the North Sea is the " path of the swans"

day wild swans abound on the coast of Norway.

Literally true

and

to this

IV

THE WARDEN

WHILE Beowulf and

his friends were

busy with their landing, thinking
only of the work before them, the Skyldings warden, he whose duty it was to
guard the sea-cliffs and report any strangers that hove in sight, espied them from
Moved by curiosity
his high watch-place.
as much as by duty, he rode down to the
beach in great excitement, brandishing a
powerful, huge lance, and demanded, in no

gentle terms, to

know

the strangers' errand

and nationality, before they could be allowed to proceed any farther into the land
of the Danes.

Beowulf at once stepped forth and spoke

up for all, with a dignity and courtesy which
shamed the rude officer into more manly
228

The Warden
behaviour.
self,

229

He gave a full account of him-

then concluded

We

have come with friendly intent to

We have a great message
visit thy lord.
to him nor is there, to my mind, any need
For it is no secret that
to keep it dark.
in great tribulation beare
Skyldings
the
cause of a mysterious fiend, who has been
vexing them for years with his nightly depredations. Now I can teach Hrothgar the
remedy, and bring back better times. This
*'

say

To

in all sincerity of heart."

this

speech the warden replied in

greatly altered tones

'*

gather from what

a friendly band
the Skyldings.

come
But

hear that this

is

to visit the lord of

it

is

a faithful ser-

and to gain
certainty on all points before he commits
his k)rd.
Keep your arms and march on
I will guide you.
Likewise will I command my kinsmen thanes honourably to
keep against every foe your vessel here
on the beach."
vant's part to question sharply

Upon

this invitation the

troop gaily

their ship riding safely at her anchor,

left

and

Beowulf

230

eagerly pressed forward, until their eyes

Heorot the goldroofed, most renowned of all mansions unThen the warden pointed
der the sky.
with his hand to the road which led straight
to it, wheeled round his horse, and spoke
a parting word
beheld the far-famed

hall,

''

It is

time for

me

to go.

May

the

all-

wielding Father graciously keep you safe

As for me, I must hie me

in adventures
back to the shore, to keep my watch against
foes from the sea."
!

THE ARRIVAL

THE

was stone-paven, and so

straight, there was no need of a guide.
Beowulf and his band marched up to the
Hall

road

in grim,

warlike guise, their burnished

corslets shining, the

iron

mail shirts clanging loud.

rings of their

When

reached the mansion, the weary

down

their

broad

shields,

they

men

set

leaning them

against the wall, and seated themselves in

silence

on the bench before the entrance,

after stacking their spears together, ready

to their hand.
nified silence

Thus they waited in digfor somebody to come from

King Hrothgar and challenge them.

Very soon an officer appeared and put
customary questions, to which he
added some respectful compliments
the

231

Beowulf

232
''

and

am," he

said,

"

Hrothgar's herald

Never saw

esquire.

loftier mien.

foreigners of

think that ye have

come

to visit Hrothgar, not from desperate fort-

bound on some high undertak-

unes, but

To which

the proud leader replied with

gallant bearing
*'

We

are Hygelac's

own

table-fellows.

My name is Beowulf. I will myself expound mine errand to thy lord, if so he

deign to admit us to his presence."

The

Wulfgar by name, hastened

sat, old and
hoary, and bent with grief, amid his despondent warriors, and not only told of
officer,

forthwith to where Hrothgar

the valiant guests from the land of the

Goths and their petition, but advised him

them a friendly reception. In the

to give

deep distress of these sorry times, it

seemed as though any change must be for
the better, and every stranger must bring
hope.

The sad

King brightened at mention

of Beowulf's name, whose father he had

known

in

old

the dear departed days of golden

The

Arrival

233

youth, and whose

own renown he

ably recalled.
This son," he

said, "

pleasur-

''

mind him

well.

He has
I knew him when he was a page.
grown into a valiant campaigner. It is
said that he has thirty men's strength in
his handgrip.

Surely

God

of

His grace

hath sent him to us in our great need.

Bid him and his men, one and all, into my
presence straight, with every martial honour.
Say to them, moreover, in words,
that they are welcome."

-^||V^^.
l^^S^^Wi

Sj$^?<*v5^i^<**?

^^

^^^

^^

^^^W

^^
^
/'VJ

^r^SJj^ ^

VI

THE RECEPTION AND THE PLEDGE

WULFGAR,

nothing

loth,

took the

message to the waiting

guests and ushered them into the royal
presence in full warlike equipment, helm
on head, sword on hip. Beowulf, tall and
commanding, his corslet of cunningly linked mail shining as a network of lights,
royal

took his stand before the King, and, with

firm eye and becoming assurance, spoke
thus at length of what was nearest to his

and the Danes' hearts

''To Hrothgar hail
lac's

cousin-thane.

was mine

in

suffer here

I am King HygeMany a deed of daring

!

youngsterhood.

All that ye

from Grendel became known

to us in Gothland.

how

Seafaring

that this hall, this

men

most princely

23d

told us
fabric,

The Reception and

the Pledge

235

stands useless and empty each night, as

soon as the star of day

Then

view.

my

did

is

hidden from

people, the wisest

me

and best among them, urge

should

visit thee,

that

royal Hrothgar.

Be-

cause they knew the strength of my arm

time and again
of their own knowledge
:

they had seen

me

return from the field

battered by foes, but never beaten

monsters

waves
time.

thy

bound on

slew

many

King,

to

in

single-handed,

have, which thou,

But one

Shelter of

the Danes, wilt not refuse to one

come from

may have

far to serve thee

the task

the

champion

against Grendel, the evil giant.

petition

five

a nicor^ in the night-

And now I am bound

quarrel,

and

land,

it

is

who
that

is
I

alone I and my band

to purge Heorot.
And as I
have learnt that the terrible one, out of

of earls

sheer boastfulness, despises the

use

of

weapons, so I too will forego them, and

bear not sword, nor spear, nor broad
*" Nicors " are mischievous water-sprites, who delight in
for ships and sailors.
The feminine in German is " Nixe," the beautiful water-maiden who lures mortals

making trouble

down

into her watery abode.

Beowulf

236

my

him but with

handgrip alone will I meet him, foe to
foe, and him of the two whom the Lord
doometh, let grim Death take for his own.
" Should the doom fall upon me," Beowulf went on, " thou wilt not, O King, be
shield to

battle with

put to the trouble of building a mound

over my head. For if all tales of Grendel
be true, he will bear away the gory corpse,
to feast on

do thou

moor. But this

send to Hygelac

in his lonely

it

for love of

me

the matchless armour that protects

breast

it is

a work of Weland, cunning-

and such are not made nowmeet gift from a departing friend."

est of smiths,

adays

my

#-

^m
^^^^
S^p

^^S ^^^W^^^
VII

THE FEAST

TO gar made

this speech,

age

is

manly and

reply in

not sparing of

heroic,

H roth-

many words

for

breath in words.

its

He

gave thanks to the God-sent young

champion he went back to the deeds of
;

his youth, in

company with

his brothers

and many brave comrades long dead he

dwelt on the horrors of these latter years.
Then, at length bethinking himself that
the wayfarers must be a-weary and ahungered, he said to the chief
But now sit thee down to the banquet
with thy fellows, and merrily share the
;

*'

feast as the spirit

moves

thee."

was promptly cleared for the

Thither they went, and sat in the

table

Goths.

pride of their

strength.
237

thane

at-

Beowulf

238

tended to their wants, going from one to

the other with a mighty ale-can of handsome workmanship. Again and again he
poured out the golden ale. At times a
minstrel's voice rose in Heorot, ringing
and clear, and there was right brave merri-

ment and good-will in this mixed company

of Goths and Danes.
Yet was there one eye that gleamed
not with merriment and good-will, one head
that hatched no friendly thoughts, because

the heart swelled with malice and envy.

Unferth

who

it

was, the King's

own story-teller,

be ready at all times

He broached a quarrelto amuse him.
some theme an adventure in Beowulf's
early youth, the only contest in his record
the issue of which, though hard fought,
sat at his feet, to

might be called doubtful. For this Unferth was an envious wight, whose soul
grudged that any man should achieve
greater things than himself.
"

Art thou not," he began tauntingly,

same Beowulf who strove with Breca
on open sea in a swimming match, in which
ye both wantonly exposed your lives, and
" that

'

The Feast

239

no man, either friend or foe, could turn

you from the foohsh venture ? A se'nnight ye twain toiled
waters, and,

if

the realm of the

.in

err not,

he outdid thee

swimming, for he had greater strength.

Wherefore I fear me much thou mayest
meet with sorry luck if thou darest to
bide here for Grendel for the space of a
whole night."
Beowulf, though angered, controlled his
temper and replied with great coolness
" Big things are these, friend Unferth,
which thou hast spoken evidently, good
Yes,
Breca
ale has loosened thy wits.
and I used to talk between ourselves when
we were pages, and brag each of his prowess, being but youngsters, and so we made
up the foolish match between us, and having made it, we stuck to it.
Drawn sword
in hand we went into the water we meant
to guard ourselves against sea-monsters
and water-sprites. Five nights we kept
in

close together, then the flood parted us.

was a dark night, freezing cold, and a

fierce wind from the north came dead
against us, the waves running rough and
It


240

Beowulf

'

One spotty monster dragged me

bottom but I did not lose my grip
on my sword and despatched the mighty
sea-brute.
I know not how many more I
fought and killed
it
was a grewsome
high.

to the

night.

At

last,

light

broke

in

the east,

and the waves grew calmer, so I could see

the headlands, and the sea cast me up on
the shore.
I escaped with my life, though
worn and spent, and never heard I of
harder

fight,

Anyhow,

or of

was

it

man

my good

sorer distressed.

luck that

with the sword nine nicors.

less

were

ships.

left to

slew

So many

play havoc with seafaring

Therefore, methinks

may rightly

have proved more sea-prowendured more buffetings from waves^

than any other man."
Thus Beowulf told of his youthful prank.
Then turning upon Unferth with flashing
eye and clouded brow
Of a sooth," he cried, " I say to thee,
Unferth, that never had Grendel, the foul
ruffian, made up such a tale of horrors,
wrought such disgrace in Heorot, if thy
spirit were as high as thou wouldst claim
claim that
ess,

*'

The Feast

241

But he has found out that

he has not much to fear from the mighty
Danes so he takes blackmail, and slaughBut now the
ters and feasts at his ease.
Goth shall ere long show him another kind
of spirit, and when the light of another
day rises over the world, then shall all
who choose walk proudly into the hall^
for thyself.

with head erect."

This speech, so brave and cheery, gladdened the old King's heart, and even the
Danes applauded it, although it held a
they took it as a well-debitter sting
served hit at the unmannerly Unferth.
:

So

laughter

greeted

Beowulf's words,

music sounded again, jolly drinking-songs

and none seemed to reat heart none forgot

that night was coming on, and what
was to bring.

filled

the hall

member
it

it

And
consort,
in

the

although
now,

behold

Hrothgar's royal

Queen Wealhtheow,

ceremonies and courtly

hall,

honour

entered

resplendent in cloth of gold, to

her

husband's

gracious word and

16

well versed

lore,

guests

with

a draught of sweet

Beowulf

242

mead from her own

hall

all

the

men

in

the

then she presented the beaker with

graceful

him

Her

royal hands.

stately greeting took in

obeisance to

her lord, wishing

and happy in
his liegemen's love.
Then she went the
round of the hall, to elder and younger,
and to each she handed the jewelled cup,
until she came to where Beowulf was
blithe at the banquet,

sitting

among

the

young ethelings.

With

befitting dignity she greeted the leader of

the Goths, as he stood before her, thanking

God

with wise choice of words that her

had come

He,
the hero of many battles, took the beaker
from her hand, and, ere he drained it,
repeated his solemn pledge
When I went on board and sat in my
ship, as she sped over the waters, with
this my chosen band, I vowed I would
work out the deliverance of your people.
I am bound as an earl to fulfil my vow, or
in this hall to meet my death to-night."
He quaffed the mead, and she, the
noble lady, inclined her diademed head
as she took from him the cup, for his
heart's

desire

to

''

pass.

^^*'

The Feast
words were, well

to

243

her liking.

Then

walked to
by her lord.
For some time yet the banqueting went

slowly, with trailing robes, she

the head of the

hall, to sit

on as merrily as ever, until the daylight

began to wane, when suddenly song and
laughter died on the revellers' lips, and
King Hrothgar bethought himself that it
was time to retire, for he knew that the
monster came forth when shrouding night
decends and the creatures of darkness go
In silence all the comstalking abroad.
pany arose.
Hrothgar greeted Beowulf and spoke
solemn words
Never before, since my hand lifted
shield, did I entrust the Guard-house of
the Danes to any man,
never but now
to thee.
and
hold
Have
the sacred house
against the foe.
Be watchful, valiant, and
may victory wait on thee
No wish of
thine shall go unfulfilled if thou dost perform the great work and livest to tell it."
Thus spoke Hrothgar the Skylding,
and gravely departed from the hall, with
his Queen, followed by his men.
:

''

VIII

THE COMBAT

SILENTLY
Danes

Beowulf looked
silently he began

after the
to

divest

himself of his armour, mindful of his

to

fight

the goblin

bare-handed.

vow

He

helmet and
his sword of choicest steel, and gave them
then he stretched
in charge to his esquire
himself on the floor and laid his cheek on
For the hall had meanwhile
a pillow.
laid off his shining mail, his

promptly cleared of tables and

benches, which were pushed against the
walls, and couches of soft pelts and rugs
were spread on the floor. His comrades
Not that rest came to any
did likewise.
of them at first
for not one thought in
his heart he should ever again see his
own folk, his native land, the castle where

been

244

The Combat
he was nurtured.

245

But even as they kept

turning these things over in their minds^

their

Hmbs

relaxed, their Hds

with very weariness, and

straining his

and

they

slept.

All

he lay quite still,,

ear to listen and his eye to

but one,

slept,

grew heavy

peer through the dim night.

And hark tramp, tramp,
!

he

came

marching from the moor, Grendel, the

God-sent scourge. Straight for the hall
he made through the gloom it was not
the first time he visited Hrothgar's homebut never had he met such a
stead
welcome as now awaited him there.
He came carelessly along, as one assured
of his entertainment.
The door, though
fastened with bars of wrought iron, sprang
open at his touch. Quickly he stepped
:

across the flagged floor,

with eyes ablaze.

big with rage,

Suddenly he perceived

the troop of strange warriors, lying close

together, asleep.

He laughed aloud.

He

gloated as he stood over them, and thought

day came, the life of each of them

should have been wrenched from the body,
since luck had sent him such a treat.
that, ere

Beowulf

246

Beowulf curbed his rage to watch the

fell ruffian and see how he meant to proceed.
The delay was not long Grendel
quickly, at one grab, seized a sleeping
warrior, tore him up, crunched the bony
frame, drank the blood from the veins,
swallowed the flesh in huge morsels in
a trice he had devoured the lifeless body,
feet, hands, and all.
Then he stepped
forward to where the hero lay, and reached
out a hand to seize him on his bed but
suddenly felt his arm held tight in such
a grip as he had never met with from any
man in all the world. He knew at once
that he was in an evil plight
in mortal
fear he strove to wrench himself free and
flee.
This was not the entertainment he
had been wont to meet there in bygone
:

days.

Now
in

all

were awake, and the

an uproar.

And

over at the

hall

was

castle,

deadly panic came over all the Danes,

noble or simple, brave men as they were.

Furious were both the maddened champions the hall resounded with their wrest;

ling.

It

was a great wonder the building

The Combat

247

did not fall to the ground only that it

was inwardly and outwardly made strong
;

with iron stanchions, with such masterly

In this night of terror

skill.

it

made good

the Danes' boast that no mortal force short

of

would ever be able

fire

The

to

wreck

noise rose high, with

violence.

The Danes

it.

increasing

outside were

numb

with horror at the unearthly shrieks and

dismal bowlings of the God -forsaken

Many

an earl of Beowulf's unsheathed and plunged into the fight they

knew not that they could not help their
leader, much as they desired it, for that
no choicest blade on earth could touch
fiend.

that destroyer,

because he had secured

himself by spells and incantations against

weapons of all kinds. But he was not
proof against human heroic might, and
from that he now got his death-wound,
as Beowulf, with a desperate grip and tug,
wrenched his arm off from the shoulder.

With

a terrific

yell,

which told the

listen-

ing Danes that the dire struggle was

ended, and victory won by their champion, Grendel fled to the coverts of the

Beowulf

248

he knew that the number of

was full.
Thus was the valiant champion's pledge
redeemed thus was Heorot purged. The
leader of the Goths had made good his

fen

v/ell

his days

vaunt, and, in token thereof, he

hung up
grim

Grendel's hand, arm, and shoulder

trophy

under the gabled

roof.

IX
REJOICINGS AND THANKSGIVINGS

L Y the morning there was a great

EA Rgathering
about the
Chieftains
in

hall.

came from

far

and

near, to hear the mar-

vellous tale, to gaze at the loathsome pro-

Then they took up

the vanquished
and
followed it to
monster's bloody
the Nicors' Mere, whither, death-doomed
and fugitive, he had betaken himself to
There was the face of the lake surgdie.
ing with blood, the gruesome plash of
waves all turbid with reeking gore. There
he had yielded up his heathen soul, there
pale-faced Hela, the dread queen and
guardian of the heathen dead, received it.
After surveying the uncanny spot, they
rode home from the Mere in high glee, as
from a pleasure-trip.
Now and then one
digy.

trail,

249

Beowulf

250

and the other loosened their nags for a

gallop, to run a match where the turf
looked smooth and inviting.
Then again
a thane of the King's, his mind full of
ballads, stored with old-world tales, began
to compose Beowulf's adventure into a
story on the spot, to be sung later at the
feast, to the

sweet-stringed harp.

another compared him

Or

Siegfried, the

to

Dragon-slayer, the greatest hero of

North

yet

all

countries.

Thus, alternately racing and talking and

singing, they rode joyously back to the
hall, and when they reached there, the sun
was already high in the sky, and crowds

Heorot and the King

himself, with the Queen and with a gorgeous following of lords and ladies, was
coming the short way from his palace to
view his enemy's monstrous arm and hand
hanging from the gold-glittering roof.
Hrothgar was very different this sunny
morning from the bent and sorrowstricken old man who greeted Beowulf
the night before as his last hope on earth.
Right royal he looked now in his rich

were

still

flocking to

"

Rejoicings and Thanksgivings

251

robes as he walked along with head erect

He
and firm step, and clear, glad eye.

stood awhile, gazing silently on the horrible hand, with fiendish fingers, and nails
then
straight and sharp like steel spikes,

devoutly raised his voice

For this sight thanks be given the
:

'*

Almighty
thought

was

now

but

that

should never see an end of

all

It

my

woes and now a lad, through the

might of God, has achieved the deed
which we, with all our wisdom, were unable to accomplish.

Now

will heartily

love thee, Beowulf, thou most excellent

youth
From this day forth shalt thou
be to me as my son
thou shalt have
nothing to wish for in the world so far as
I have power.
Full oft have I, for far
less service, decreed great guerdons from
my treasury. May the Almighty reward
thee always, as He hath just done
Beowulf accepted these thanks and
praises with most becoming modesty.
Indeed, he rather apologised for having
let the enemy escape him
for," he said,
*'
I would have liked vastly better to show
!

''

Beowulf

252

thee his very

self,

instead of only his

and hand."
Men, in those days, were

arm

not, as a rule,

shy of boasting of their valorous deeds

and making the most of them. Therefore
the young hero's quiet bearing won him
still heartier admiration and louder applause.

One man

alone in

all

that joy-

ous crowd kept silent and to himself

that was Unferth, the

story-teller,

and

who had

given vent so freely to his envious malice

He dared not now either

brag of his own doings, or belittle Beo-

at the feast.

wulf's

exploit,

and so held

But in his heart, alone

grudged him his triumph.

of

his
all

peace.

men, he

X
HEOROT RESTORED FEASTING AND
GIFTS

now orders were given that

ANDHeorot
should be promptly swept,
cleansed, and decorated

trooped

in

in

No

work.

men and women

great numbers to do the

light

work

was,

it

for the

whole interior of the building was nearly

demolished in fact, the roof alone escaped quite unhurt.
Substantial repairs,
of course, would take time
but the hall
must, be garnished and made ready for
that day's banquet.
So they hid the
walls with brocaded tapestries which delighted the eye
with their pictured
;

stories.

When
walked

the time came,

to the

Hall,
253

for

King Hrothgar
he intended to

Beowulf

254

share the entire feast from beginning to

And

never did a braver throng of

revellers muster more merrily around the

end.

feast-giver.

The

beaker of sweet mead the

King drank to Beowulf, and at the same
time presented him with a complete suit
of

first

preciously-wrought, gold-adorned, ar-

mour

helmet,

battle-sword,

Then,

from the royal treasury.

from the King, eight beauti-

all

at a sign

ful horses,

heavy

coat of mail, and

with cheekplates of gold, were

led into the hall.

One

of

them was gaily

caparisoned and bore the King's

vourite saddle,

all

own

decorated with

fa-

silver.

Horse and saddle were well known to all

present, having been seen often and often
both at knightly games and in the field,
where foemen fell before the royal rider
both in play and in deadly earnest. Arms
and horses the King bade the young hero
have for his own, and enjoy them well.
Moreover, each one of those who had
made the voyage with Beowulf received
some precious gift, some old heirloom.
As for the comrade whom Grendel had

Heorot Restored

255

so atrociously killed and devoured, King-

Hrothgar gave order that gold should be

brought from his treasury, to make good
his loss to his people.

And now

the

King

called

aloud for

The harp was struck

music and song.
and Hrothgar's minstrel recited a ballad,
often heard, but always a favourite, a lay
of an old feud and vengeance, which made
the revellers realise the

deliverance

from the

which, through so

more

joyfully their

tribute

many

of

blood

years, they

had

unwillingly paid.

The merriment

ran high, and high rose

the sounds of revelry as the attendants

served the wine out of curious flagons.

When

suddenly there was a pause Queen

Wealhtheow came forward, wearing right
nobly her golden diadem, and, as the day
before, stood before her lord, and spoke
" Receive this beaker, King of the
:

Danes

Be merry

thyself,

and gladden

those around thee with gifts and gracious

For now, far and near, thou hast

Heorot is purged and is once
more the most splendid of banquetingwords.
peace.


Beowulf

256

halls.
Dispense, then, thy bounties while
thou mayest, and to thy children peace-

and realm when thy time

fully leave folk

comes to pass into eternity."

She turned then towards the bench
where her young sons sat.
And there,
by the two brothers, Beowulf modestly
sat

among

the youth of the land, separ-

from the elders and mighty men.

ate

To him

Queen

the

offered the beaker,

with friendly words, inviting him to drink,

then presented him with her own special
gifts

gold,

a rich mantle, armlets of twisted

and

and

rings,

a jewelled

crowning

gift of all

most gorgeous
work ever seen under

carcanet, the

piece of jeweller's

the sun.
*'

Wear

this

youth," the

collar,

Queen

of this mantle

Beowulf, beloved

said,

"

and make use

stately possessions both

Prosper well, win more and more fame by

thy valour, and to these my boys be true
friend and kind adviser.
Thou hast done
that which will make thee the theme of
minstrels'

time.

Be

song,

far

and

near,

for

then, whilst thou livest, a

all

happy

Heorot Restored
prince,

deed.

257

and loyal to my sons In word and

For such is the manner of our

each warrior to other true,,

the thanes obedient,
loyal to their chief
And now, I bid ye
the people willing.

land

here

is

all

be merry
With

"
!

that she walked to her chair,

and
and wine

music once more filled the hall,

No thought was there of
flowed freely.
evil to come, only of the evil from which
they deemed that they were freed forever

who

for

ever hears the

fiat

of des-

tiny as it goes forth ?

And so the
evening came, and Hrothgar betook him
.

to his rest.

upon Heorot the festive

For the first time in
many years, the hall was not deserted for
the night the ethelings stayed to guard
it as they had often done in earlier times.
The benches were cleared away against
the walls beds and bolsters were laid in
rows upon the floor, and the revellers laid
themselves down to rest, happy and at
Yet did one among them lie down
peace.
that night a doomed man, and knew it not.
Silence

fell

sounds died

out.

Beowulf

258

At

heads they set up their bright

on the benches, plain in sight,
lay each etheling's helmet and mail-shirt,
and against them stood the strong-shafted
For such was their custom to
lances.
be at all times ready for war, whether at
their

bucklers

home

wherever their liege

lord might have need of their services.
Truly a brave and noble people
or in the

field,

LAY

II

GRENDEL'S MOTHER
I

THE AVENGER
they sank down to sleep.
SO was
who sorely paid for

One

there

that night's

For ere morning it was found that

Grendel had left an avenger his mother,

rest.

the Mere-wife, loathsome beldame, a creat-

ure that had to dwell in the dreariness of

marshes and cold streams, like all the rest

of Cain's murderous, outlawed brood.
That very night the hag, on bloody vengeance bent, betook herself to Heorot,
where the Danes slept careless, all unconscious.

Who

shall paint their horror

and dismay when the goblin-wife suddenly

burst into their midst?
Swords were
259


Beowulf

26o

drawn and bucklers raised, but there was

no time to think of helmet or mail-shirt.
The hag was in a hurry finding herself
discovered, all she thought of was to
So she quickly
get away with her life.
snatched up one of the ethelings at random, and gripping him tight, made for
the fen.
That man was Hrothgar s dearest comrade, most constant companion
But
sad end for an illustrious warrior
hurried as she was, the hag managed to
carry away with her Grendel's arm and
hand.
A great cry went up from Heorot,
and reached the aged King, who was
startled out of his sleep by the news that
the old horror was revived, and that the
man dearest to his heart was dead.
Beowulf was not there. No one thought
;

that his prowess should be needed again

so,

as he was

in

want

night's exertions, he

of rest after his last

and

his

companions

had been assigned a lodging at some disand they knew nothing of what had
Bright and early, he and his
happened.
little band, rested, cheery, marched to the
tance,

palace, straight to the King's apartment,

The Avenger
the floor-timbers

261

resounding under their

tread, and, courteously accosting him, en-

quired

if,

according to their sincere wish,

he had had a restful night.

Great was their astonishment to find the
King more deeply dejected than ever, the
tears coursing down his withered cheeks,
and to hear his heart-broken answer
:

''

Speak not

of rest to

me

has come over the Danes,

dead,

my

friend

New

grief

^schere

and counsellor,

my

is

trusty

body-squire, who has stood with me,

shoulder to shoulder, in battle, a hundred

In Heorot has he met his death

hands of another raging fiend.
Yesternight didst thou overcome Grendel
in deadly fight, and now his mother comes
to avenge her kin
I know not in what
direction she took her way, but her tracks
will show.
I will be bound they lead us
no farther than the Mere, a few miles
from here an uncanny water wolf-crags,
windy bluffs, woods with gnarled, intertwined roots overhang it. A precipitous
mountain waterfall vanishes into the earth,
and flows on, an underground river. And
times.

at

the

Beowulf

262

on the Mere
portent
water.

every night, a fearful

be seen fire playing on the
itself,

may
The man

the depth of that mere.

hart, as

who knows
The antlered
wood coverts,

liveth not

he makes for the

up
head

harried by hounds, will sooner give

on the bank, than plunge his

the unhallowed flood.
Now it is
once more to thee alone that we look
for counsel
Thou knowest not yet the
dreadful haunt go seek it if thou dare
I will reward
thee with treasure to thy
heart's content, if so thou comest away
life

into

alive."

Beowulf answered straightway, and his

brave words fell like balm on Hrothgar s
dejected spirits
ing a friend
him.

is

Arouse thee

out to find the

vow
in

Avengfor
mourning
better than

Cease sorrowing, wise

''

let

sire

us promptly set

trail of this

new

terror.

to thee she shall not escape

neither

the bowels of the earth, nor in the

go

haunted woods, nor in ocean's depth

Have patience but
where she will
one day, and all thy woes shall end."
!

this

II

THE MERE
sprang then the aged King, thankUP ing
words, which
the
God
hero's

for

filled

him with new

his charger,

vigour.

He mounted

a stately high-stepper with

wavy, flowing mane, and rode forth with

Beowulf and the mixed band of Danes and
Goths, the foot-force of shield-bearing

men

marching behind. The track lay broad

and plain over the ground, down the
slope

straight across the murky moor.

Beowulf step over steep

stone-banks, narrow gullies, lonesome,
untravelled paths, sheer bluffs, under many
of which were deep caverns, the dwellingWith a few tried men
place of nicors.
he went forward, exploring the ground,
until all of a sudden he perceived the
Lightly did

263

Beowulf

264

gloomy

overhanging the grisly rock

Hrothgar had spoken a cheerless wood
beneath it a standing water,
dreary and troubled.
The whole scene
was so desolate and eerie that it made
the Danes shudder
horror seized them
as they looked, for on that cliff they came
on the head of ^schere in a pool of
trees

of which

blood.

The horn sounded from time to time

a spirited blast to keep them together.
But they had little wish to stray. They
all sat down on the ground, terrified, yet
Mere
water many

curious for the weird sights of the

they saw gliding along the

monstrous seasnakes at their swimming gambols likewise nicors lying lazily on the jutting
the water-goblins which often, of
slopes,
an early morning, churn up the waves to
make disastrous sailing for voyagers,
dragons, and other strange beasts tumbled
shapes of serpent kind,

about, then hurried

away with eye

and body swelling with rage

of spite

at being dis-

turbed by the clarion's clang and the

Beowulf, with an arrow
intrusion of men.

The Mere

one of the monwhich was swiftly pulled out on

his swimming days were over, his

his bow, picked off

from
sters,

land

265

tricks ended.

But this was play. The business of the

day was now to come, and Beowulf began to prepare for it. Piece by piece he
donned his princely armour, which was
to stand the novel test of deadly battle
in the

waters of the unholy lake.

Most

anxiously did his friends, both Danes and

Goths, watch and assist him as he silently

armed, with brow and mouth firmly set

under the helmet, for well they knew that
the contest he was now going to engage
in was far more dangerous than that in
which he had but lately ventured life and
Even Unferth, the unmannerly,
limb.
forgot what he had recently uttered
flushed with ale

or

when

perchance he wished

ill-will by present service.

Enough, he pressed to Beowulf's side,
and placed in his hand a wonderful sword,
an old heirloom of his house, most highly
prized of all his possessions. That precious
blade, like other famed swords belong-

to atone for past

266

Beowulf

ing to mighty heroes, had a

name

of

its

own, Hke a human friend it was called

Hrunting. The edge of the blade was
iron, welded onto the brass, mottled with
poison, and hardened in the gore of many:

proved false to him

was not the first time
that heroic work had been required of it.

battles.

who

Never had

wielded

it

this

it

Ill

UNDER THE WATERS

now
ANDready

Beowulf stood armed, and

But before he
went whence he might not come back, he
turned to King Hrothgar and once again
repeated the request he had made before
he remained in Heorot to await the coming of Grendel
See now, O wise King, I am ready to
Bethink thee of what we lately
start.
for the fray.

**

talked of

that,

should

lose

thy service, thou shouldst, after

my life in
my death,

my

wishes even as my own father

They are but few and easily remembered be thou friend and protector
to my thanes when I am gone, and send

fulfil

would.

lac

so will he see for

267

me

Hygehimself that I had

the presents thou hast given

to

Beowulf

268

found a bountiful friend. And let Unferth

keep my own heirloom, my curiously
damaskeened sword, Hardedge.
With
Hrunting I will either achieve renown or

my death."
He said, and,

find

waiting for no answer,

the eddying flood

leaped from the bluff

So deep was the mere,

took some time before, sinking, he

engulfed him.
that

it

reached the bottom.

Soon the grim creature that

for a hund-

red seasons had kept house in the watery

realm perceived that one of the children

of men was coming from above, exploring
the goblins' home.

him and clutched him

She made a grab

in

at

her grisly talons,

but could not pierce the well-knit ring

But she
mail which fenced him around.

bore him to her mansion at the bottom of

the lake, so swiftly that, although his
heart did not

fail,

he was powerless to use

more that countless

water-beasts harassed him in swimming,
battering at him with tusk and claw.
At length the earl felt the grip loosened
on him, and as he hurriedly cast his eye
his

weapons,

the

Under

the

Waters

around, he perceived that he was

hall,

269
in

a vast

high-roofed, and protected from the

was light, too, with

an eerie, bright lustre, something like firelight.
But the hero had no time for wonder or exploring
for before him stood
the grim she-wolf of the abyss, and it behoved him to be quick in attack. Grasping Hrunting, he whirled it around her
head but when it descended to strike,
he found, to his dismay, that the edge did

water on

all

sides

it

not bite

time the

costly

blade failed the master at his need.

With

for

the

first

prompt decision he angrily flung it away,

and once again trusting wholly to his
own strength, seized the hag by the
shoulder, and swayed her so violently in
sank to the pavement.
She swiftly repaid him and closed in upon
him, crushing the wind out of his body,
so that he, fearless as he was, staggered
from sheer breathlessness and fell prohis rage that she

Then

the hag sat

upon his back

and drew her broad knife, and her goblin
son would have been avenged then and
there, but that Beowulf's mail-shirt was

strate.


Beowulf

270

proof against point and edge, which gave

him time
off

mighty

for a last

the hindering weight,

effort to

throw

and presently

he stood once more

Still, even then his life might have been
forfeit in the unequal combat, had he not
chanced to espy among the armour lying
scattered about the hall, an old cutlass of
huge size and strength of blade, larger
than an ordinary man could have carried,
let alone used in battle,
the handiwork of
giants.
On this Beowulf blindly seized
erect on his feet.

beside himself, despairing of his

struck in his fury

beldame

in the

and

the blow caught the

neck, severed the bone,

she dropped on the pavement,

was done.
He was

life

the work

He now had

alone.

scan the apartment with his eye

leisure to

he slowly

walked all round it, along by the wall,

the magic weapon swung aloft by the hilt,
Suddenly, he came
for fear of surprises.
'

upon a hideous object Grendel, bereft

of life, lying where he fell, as he reached
his lake

home on

that fatal night.

The

hero's blood boiled at the sight; he at

Under

the

Waters

271

once decided he would bring back to the

upper world a better trophy than a hand
and arm so, raising high the cutlass, he
:

struck off the head.

Then, before

his eyes,

there

came

pass a thing whereat he marvelled

to

much

no sooner had the blade touched the monster's black gore, than it began to melt
away, even as ice when the spring
breathes upon
the torrent

melted

all

it,

dissolving the fetters of

and even as he looked,

it

down to the hilt in

venomous and consuming

to naught,

hand so
had been the goblin's life-blood
There were many rare arms and trinkets
in that wondrous water hall but Beowulf
only glanced at them and would not burden himself with aught save the head, and
the hilt of the burned-up cutlass, which he
wanted to show and keep as a curiosity.
Nor would he leave Hrunting below, since
the good sword did not belong to him.
his

IV

THE RETURN

MEANWHILE the hours waxed long

Hrothgar
same spot still, in-

to the watchers above.

and

his

men

sat in the

tently gazing on the water.

The

old

with grizzled locks spoke together

tones about the brave etheling,

in

how

did not expect that he should ever

men
low
they

come

back to them
and when they saw the
waves splashing turbid and tinged with
blood, most of them decided that the shewolf of the Mere had torn him to pieces.
The
It was the ninth hour of the day.
impetuous Danes gave him up for lost and
quitted the bluff King Hrothgar followed
them with heavy heart.
They did not
doubt but that they had lost their herofriend, and the nightly ravages would
;

272

The Return
commence

again.

Sick at

not go.

273

But the Goths would

heart they sat on, and

They

gazed upon the dreadful pool.

did

not expect to ever again get sight of their

lord and captain in the body, yet they

kept on wishing, and secretly hoping for

was he not o^reater and braver than all
other men ? No other would have even
dreamed of plunging into such an ad:

venture.

And

what was that ? something in

the distance, moving on the water Waterbeast it could not be, for they had all
slunk away when man and goblin-wife met,
and kept in hiding, waiting for the end.
Soon they
It was
yes, it was the leader
could see him plainly, as he came swimming bravely along. He shouted to them.
They answered with a cry which must have
been heard half-way to Heorot.
Then
lo

he came to land, exulting in his lake

spoils.
His faithful thanes ran to meet
him, thanking God that they had him
back, whole and sound.
They pressed
around, vieing

who should

his helmet, his mail-shirt.

relieve

From

him

of

the mo-

Beowulf

74

ment he stepped on
subsided,

lenly

land, the

Mere

sul-

grey and heavy, leaden

water under leaden sky.

And now Beowulf and his band prepared to retrace their steps, for they had
quite a long way to march across country
and along the public highways. So they
formed into a triumphal procession, to
bear away Grendel's head from the Mere-

took four of the lusty and stalwart fellows to carry it on a pole, and the
burden taxed their strength to the utmost so that, when they reached the
cliff

it

great

hall,

gold-glittering in the sunshine,

they were glad to lay

ground.

Then

it

down on the

others of their comrades

took it up and carried it by the hair into

Their
the midst of the assembled Danes.
captain was just greeting the King, but
even to Hrothgar
all sprang to their feet
;

and the Queen, startled out of ceremony

by the unexpected sight of the horrible
object.

LAST WORDS

WHEN

had been
restored, Beowulf, with his wonted
modest dignity, gave the King a brief
account of his last and most deadly encounter
"

some

sort of order

Lo and behold

the Skyldings,

to thee,

we have

Lord of

joyfully brought

these Mere-spoils that thou lookest on,

in

token that what we came to do is done.

easily did I come out of it with life.

Not

In the battle under water well-nigh had

the struggle gone against me, only that

God

shielded

me.

could not,

in the

accomplish aught with Hruntthough it be a good weapon, too.

But the Ruler of men directed my eye
.to the wall, where it was caught by the
final test,

ing,

275

Beowulf

276

gleam of an old sword of huge size,

whereat I grasped, blindly. Thus oftenest
hath He guided men when they have no
other friend.
With that sword occasion
favouring me,
I smote the keepers of the
Mere-house, the living and the dead.
So
hot and poisonous was that accursed
blood, that it consumed the blade, as thou
I brought away the hilt
canst see.
as a
trophy.
And now that I have avenged

the long agonies

of

Danes

the

as

was

promise thee that thou mayest

Heorot free from care
and so may every one of the thanes, old
and young, and thou needest not fear for
them any kind of danger, as thou didst so
meet,

sleep henceforth in

long."

The
riors

oldest and wisest

marvelled

speech from

much

lips so

among

to hear

young.

the war-

so wise a

That

in

the

heat of victory, hard-won, single-handed^

the noble champion should remember to

give thanks where alone man's thanks

are due, and should generously share the
credit with

Hrothgar

his

comrades, pleased

greatly.

With kindly

King

smile he

Last

Words

took the gilded, bladeless

277
into

hilt

his

was
this relic of heathen
times immemorial, the workmanship of
giants.
The mystic smiths had graven
much ancient lore on it in quaint old
characters, looking like small staves oddly
thrown together, and long held sacred by
learned men, who called them " Runes."
Hrothgar, who, though himself a fervent
Christian, was well versed in the ancient

hand and examined

well worth the study,

it

intently.

It

heathen lore of his people, easily read the

gold of the hilt.
Upon it was

storied

written the history of the primeval quar-

between the

beneficent gods
and the perverse race of giants, and of
the war between them, in which the wicked
giants did their worst, by force and wile,
rel

bright,

to destroy the beautiful world, the creation

of the gods, until the latter sent a great

and the
Likewise was it

flood,

giant's
set

down

part of the mounting, for

had

brood
in

runes on a

whom that

been worked with

first

perished.

its

sword
dragon

ornament.

When

he had examined the curious

relic


Beowulf

278

King Hrothgar returned it

the youth, and bending on him his

at his leisure,

to

kindest glance, he spoke to him,

while

around respectfully held their peace,

out of the fulness of his heart and of his
long-hoarded wisdom, such words as only
a father speaks to a well-beloved son, when
he sends him forth to fare for himself in
the wide and dangerous world.
For well
he knew that the hero, his mission done,
would leave him very soon, to continue
his adventurous career, wherever it might
call him, and his heart ached to let him
go he would fain have warned him of all
that might befall him on his way, and
given him his own treasure of experience
above all
to guide and to shield him,
against the dangers and snares of his own
all

untamed
**

Thy

began,

nature.

fame, friend Beowulf," the

''will

King

spread after this to every

land, over every nation.

Thou dost

withal

carry thy prowess modestly, with discretion of mind.

Thou

art

fated to prove

a comfort sure and lasting to thy men, a

help to mankind."

Last
Here the King
example, the fate

Words

279

warning
of Heremod, the bad

recalled, as a

king, who had lost the people's hearts

through his arrogance and cruelty, and

whom

his

(Hrothgar's),

own

ancestor,

Skyld of the Sheaf, had displaced.

Do thou take warning by that

**

continued.

'*

It is for

he

"

thy benefit that

I,

and experience, have

For, how many a time do

being old in years

told this tale.

we

not

man

see

of

noble race

who

dwelleth in prosperity, with nothing to

annoy him, no care nor quarrel on any

side, but all the world seems to move to
his

man

mind.

Until,

at

within

length,

the

himself something of arrogancy grows

and develops. Then sleepeth the heavenly

guardian, the

very near,

soul's

keeper

the

and the man yields

foe
to

is

the

crooked counsels of the accursed spirit

he fancies that all is too little that he has
so long enjoyed he grows covetous and
malignant, and grudges to share his wealth
;

with his friends.

how

that

it

He

too lightly considers

was God the Dispenser who

placed him in his post of dignity.

And

Beowulf

28o

then the end comes

who makes
is

another

fills

his

room

better use of his wealth

he

Beware of such a fall, Beobeloved youth, and choose for thyself

forgotten.

wulf,

Now

the better course.

in full

bloom

is

thy strength

Soon

for a while.

it

may

betide that sickness or the sword will be-

reave thee

of

it;

fire

knife, or flight of spear

or flood, stab of

anything

at

any

time may mar and darken all, and Death

subdue thee, leader of men though thou
Look at me did I not for fifty
art
:

years reign prosperously over the Danes,

and by valour make them secure against

many a nation, insomuch that I dreaded
no rival under the circuit of the sky ?
Yet how suddenly a change came over all
here in my own hall, the abominable
that
Grendel bearded and despoiled me, and
;

for years

Thanks,
what

my heart

carried

its

load of grief.

therefore, be to the Eternal Ruler

have lived to see that I, the

old tribulation past, with mine own eyes
And
should gaze upon yon severed head
now go, sit thee down, share the festive
joy, crowned with the honours of war.
for

Words

Last

281

To-morrow we must yet have many

deal-

ings together."

Beowulf had

listened, with

beseeming

earnestness and reverence, nor did

the

aged king's wise instruction fall on barren

But he was very tired so he moved
soil.
briskly off and sat down, nothing loth, on
one of the benches. Then the tables were
cleared and re-spread, and a fair, fresh
banquet served.
Not till the night's dim covering began
to descend over the light-hearted revellers
did the venerable Skylding arise and give
:

After him the elders.

the signal for bed.

Vastly well did the hero of the day like

the thought of repose he had enough of

He was maradventure for a while
!

room with much ceremony

by a chamberlain, who supplied him with
shalled to his

all

things needful for a luxurious night's

rest.

And

he slept

slept

till

the black ra-

ven announced heaven's glory with blithe

heart, and the light drove the shadow^s
away, and fiends that prowl of nights
scampered off and hid.
When he came forth from his sleeping-

Beowulf

282

chamber, he found his comrades all ready

They were impatient to

for the voyage.

take ship for home.

Beowulf bade courteous farewell to his

Danish friends, and when the turn of Unferth came, he returned Hrunting to him
with hearty thanks for the loan

with
never a word did he blame the blade that
had played him false, but on the contrary
praised
in war.

it

for a

Thus

good sword, a good

are high-souled

courteous and mindful

feelings.

of

friend

men

ever

other men's

VI

HOMEWARD BOUND

ONLY

when

departing warriors

the

equipped and ready to

start, did Beowulf approach the raised
platform where Hrothgar sat, to take lov-

were

fully

ing leave of him.

Now," he began, **we sea-voyagers

have come to say that we purpose this
Here we
very day to return to^ Hygelac.
have been well entertained, and thou hast
been to us very generous. If I therefore
may in any way be of use to thee, even
though it require labour beyond what I
have yet done, I shall be forthwith on
'*

hand.

If

they bring

me word

seas that thou art hard pressed

across the

by neigh-

once bring thee a thousand

thanes to help. And Hygelac, I know.

bours,

will at

283

Beowulf

284

young in years, will bear me out

and send me over with a forest

albeit

in

this,

of

have need of them."

The old King was deeply moved as he
made answer
spears, shouldst thou

"

The

Lord

All-wise

himself, puts such

Never have

thoughts into thy mind.

heard one so young

in

years discourse such

sweet and reasonable speech.

very likely

will find

think

it

should sickness or iron

that^

take thy chief from this

Goths

the seafaring

life,

no better man than thy-

be their king. Thou hast my best

wishes, beloved Beowulf, for I like thee
more and more. Thou hast done that
which will make the Danes and the Goths
self to

friends

forevermore.

While

realm, the two nations shall have

in

common, and

forward, not

rule this
all

things

ships shall bring back

men armed

and

for war, but pres-

ents and tokens of love."

King Hrothgar
state

rose from his chair of

and pressed on

his

young

friend

twelve more priceless jewels, bidding him

go with God and visit his people, but

come back again

soon.

He

clasped

him

Homeward Bound
by the neck,

tears

coursing

cheeks into his long grey beard.

285

down

his

To him

the youth was so dear that he could not

restrain the passion of his sorrow at part-

ing from him,

for, in

words, there was that

spite of his cheery

in his breast

which

warned him that they two were not to

meet again.
Beowulf, being young, was not much
disturbed by forebodings, and when he left
the

hall,

his

foot trod the grassy earth

with the firm step of conscious power.

As he and his gallant troop neared the
water,

where

their

well-guarded

ship

awaited them, the coast-warden marked

had done at their

coming but there was no suspicion now
in his mind or manner, as he hailed them
from his high peak and rode down swiftly
towards them. The beach was all alive as
the Goths proceeded, with right good will,
to load the good ship with the war harness, the horses, and all the treasures from
Hrothgar's hoard.
Winds and waves
seemed to favour their impatience, and
sail and oars carried them smoothly over
their approach, as he
;

286

Beowulf

the foamy swell,

till

espy the familiar

cliffs

they were able to

and headlands of

Gothic shore. And now the keel

grated on the sand, the wind pushing from
behind she was on land.
The warden was ready to receive the
the

seafarers at the landing

left

the water

he had hardly

edge, so anxiously had he

been looking for the dear friends who

had left him on so perilous, uncertain a
And now he helped to bind the
venture.
ship fast with strong anchor cables, lest a
sudden storm might snatch her away, and
hastened to give orders to carry ashore
the princely cargo.

VII

AT

THEY had not

HOME

far to go, for

King Hy-

had

his palace,

gelac, son of Hrethel,

where he held court with his peers, within

There he dwelt happily
sight of the sea.
with his Queen, fair Hygd, who, though
she was very young, and had lived but few
winters in her lord's castle, was wise and
of excellent discretion, yet not mean-spir-

nor grudging of gifts to the thanes

and ethelings very different in all her
ited,

ways from another young princess of the

Goths, Thrytho, the moody and the proud,
even to savagery so arrogant and fierce
;

that

no man,

among

not

even her

favourites

the courtiers, durst look in her

eyes, but he

was sure
2S7

to be taken

and

Beowulf

288

bound by her

and the knife was

quick to follow arrest.
Well did nobles
and people murmur, and whisper among
themselves that such manner was not
queenly, nor womanly, for any lady to
practise, although peerless of form and
feature for woman should ever be a peacemaker, and not a taker of men's lives on
false pretences too.
But no one dared to
speak aloud what all thought in their secret hearts.
So everybody was glad exceedingly w^hen Thrytho was sent off to
order,

Angle-land, there to

King

of Mercia, the

those
to
left

Soon

kingdoms.

seven

who drink

tell

the great Offa,

after,

tale,

how

began
had

that she

her evil ways from the

that she reached

of the

however,

at the ale-benches

a different

off

wed

most powerful

moment

Offa's hall after her

long

sea-voyage and been given, gold-adorned,

into the noble

and ever

and brave king's keeping

long as she lived

her
royal state, she was famed for her kindness
and gentleness she w^on and kept the
since, as

in

love of that most excellent ruler between

the seas

for minstrels tell us that Offa

At

Home

289

famous for his courtly grace and

knightly accomplishments as for his feats

was

as

of war.^

Beowulf's arrival was promptly

made

Good news in truth,

to Hygelac.
he thought, that his dear companion, his
playfellow of yore, was coming back to
known

him alive and unhurt. Quickly, at his

command, the interior of the hall was
cleared for the home-coming travellers.
Beowulf sat by the King's side, while
his comrades were greeted by their friends,
and the gentle Queen moved about the
for she
hall with beakers of sweet mead
loved her folk and gladly ministered to
;

them.

With

eager, affectionate

words Hygelac

questioned his kinsman about his voyage,

by Hrothgar, the battle for

Beowulf satisfied him fully on

his reception

Heorot.

That these two queens with their contrasting characters

were introduced by the Christian writer of the poem to convey
a moral lesson, is evident from the allegorical names he gives
them: " Hygd," in Anglo-Saxon, means " discretion," and
" Thrytho," "haughtiness, superciliousness." At the same
time it is not improbable that the name of Thrytho may have
been suggested by the actual name of Offa's queen, which was
" Cynethryth."
^

19

Beowulf

290

and gave him a most detailed

account of all that had befallen him, good
and evil, during his brief but eventful absence speaking of his deeds, as was his
wont, with heroic simpHcity, and dwelHng
more on Hrothgar's loving-kindness and
generosity than upon his own prowess.
When he had told his tale, to which all
who were in the hall listened spell-bound,
he ordered all Hrothgar's gifts, including
four of the beautiful horses, matched to
perfection, to be brought into the hall, and
then and there presented all to his kinsman and liege lord, bidding him use and
all

points,

enjoy the treasures. As to the carcanet, the

curiously wrought, wonderful jewel, which
Hrothgar's queen had bestowed on him,

he presented that to Queen Hygd, as also

three palfreys, keeping only one of the
eight horses for his

own

of "Hrothgar's friendship.

use, in

memory

shining ex-

ample, truly, of a loyal kinsman's fealty

and love, which

kinsmen took to
alack, are there

were well if all royal

But how many,
heart.

it

who

will, instead,

spread

the deceitful snare for their trusting com-

Home

At
rade's feet

and

secretly, with

contrive his death

From

this

291

wicked

guile,

time

on,.

Beowulf steadily

honours and in his sovereign's

He conducted himself on all
confidence.
occasions wisely and with discretion.
Never did he smite his hearth-fellows in
their cups.
For his was no ruffian soul
but of all mankind he most wisely controlled the great talents which God had
given him.
Men saw and wondered at
him.
For they had held him in little esteem for a long time, because of his modest, reserved ways, which did not court
attention and when he was a lad, he had
often been called slack and unpromising.
Now, however, every rash judgment was
reversed, as the mature man stood radiant

grew

in

in his glory, the

who

very next to the King,

girded him. with his

own

father's gold-

mounted battle-sword. King Hrethel's heirloom, than which there was no more
renowned weapon among the Goths. At
the same time he conferred on him seven
thousand hides of land, a princely mansion,
and a seat of authority in the Council.

Beowulf

292

Not many years passed thus

peacefully.

There was war once more and Hygelac

fell

battle in the distant land of the

in

sea-going Frisians.
self

by a

feat of

Beowulf saved him-

swimming which no man

but he could have performed, and reached

Gothland unharmed.
There he found
young widowed Queen, Hygd, beside
herself with grief and alarm.
She proffered him treasure and realm, jewels and
throne for she had no confidence in her
young son Heardred, who was scarcely
more than a child, that he would be able
the

to hold the

ancestral

seats against

the

Frisians, whose invasion was expected

from day to day. But neither she nor
the bereaved people could prevail with
the loyal kinsman and chieftain to break
faith with his dead cousin
he upheld
young Heardred in the public assembly,
respectfully and with friendly guidance,
until the time that he was of full age, when
he resigned to him the power which he
had wielded only so long as duty bade.
But fortune soon after proved fatal to
young Heardred. He, too, was killed in
;

At

Home

293

war.

Then

came
King

and Beowulf found himself

He had not sought
of the Goths.

ancient Hrothgar's prophecy

true,

or coveted the dignity, giving the elder

always his whole-hearted, undivided

But when the broad realm came
service.
line

to his hand, he took

it

as a trust placed

charge by God, and governed it

well for fifty winters, a true ethel-warden
But ennoble guardian of the people.
vious fate, which is ever on the lurk, would
in

his

not suffer the venerable King to end his

days

in

undisturbed prosperity.

LAY

III

THE DRAGON
I

THE TREASURE

IN

the land of the

Goths, high on a

rocky steep above the

sea, there

stood

a lonely stronghold, built of stone.

narrow path led to it from the beach beneath, but it was unfrequented by people,
because the castle was tenanted by a
Dragon, who had, for three hundred years,
kept guard over a treasure of gold and
silver

rings, bracelets, jewelled drinking-

and swords, and armour of

all kinds.
This treasure was the legacy of
an ancient band of men, war-companions
Death took them all off,
long forgotten.
cups, daggers

294

"

The Treasure
one after another, and

mourn

left

295

one

solitary

and
enjoy for a short while the accumulated

survivor, to

for lost

friends

wealth.

There was a forsaken barrow on the

down near by, where a huge cliff hung
sheer over the water.
tary

man

carried

all

Thither the

soli-

the beaten gold and

and having buried

few farewell words
silver,

it

all,

spoke a

"

Hold thou now,

Earth, the wealth

of mighty heroes, who cannot guard it

any longer. Death in battle has carried

them

all

away,

my

share the bliss of

friends,

my

peers

Woden's heavenly

they
hall,

where only brave warriors slain in the

field are admitted.
No one henceforth
will furbish the embossed tankard, the precious sword, or the helmet damaskeened
with gold the armour will moulder by the
side of the warrior who wore it
Thus the sole survivor of a brave company lamented his unhappiness, by day
and by night, until the finger of Death
touched his heart also, and it stood still.
The dazzling hoard, now unguarded
;

Beowulf

296

was found by the old pest

that haunteth barrows,

by

of twilight,

the scaly spiteful

enwrapt in
fire, whom country-folk hold in awe and
His great delight is to sit on undread.
derground hoards and gloat there. Thus
it happened that, having discovered this
enormous treasure-house, he held it for
three hundred years, until something occurred which angered him and let him
loose on the unhappy land.
Some unknown man was fleeing in a
feud, houseless and pursued, and in his
flight he stumbled on the barrow and on
Dragon, that

the

flieth

Dragon asleep

ing hoard.

night,

therein

upon the

gHtter-

Horror-struck, he was turning

to escape while he might, but a jewelled

tankard caught his eye and he just

snatched it before he ran, his heart misgiving him at the time that he was bringing

woe on many by

the

deed.

But

something impelled him, stronger than

reason so he snatched and ran, hugging
the precious bauble, which he carried to
his liege lord, who pursued him, as a
pledge of peace, and bought his lord's

The Treasure
friendship and his

He

own

safety therewith.

also revealed the hiding-place of the

hoard

the chieftain hastened thither with-

out delay, the barrow was

of

297

its

jewels, while the

heavy sleep

his long,

was done

When

rifled of

Dragon

and

still

many
slept

the mischief

the

Worm

woke and found him-

self despoiled, his fury

was intense but he

make his vengeance
;

mastered it at first, to
more complete and sure. First of all he
sniffed at the scent along the rock, and at
once came upon the track of the enemy,
whose foot had stepped unawares by his
very head as he lay asleep. He sought diligently for the man, going over the ground
w^hither the scent took him
in more and
more fiery and raging mood he kept swinging around and around the barrow. There
;

was not any man there

in all that desert

All the while he matured in his

waste.

purpose of dire and bloody

work.
Every now and then he would
dash back into the barrow, as though to
satisfy himself once more of what he knew
already
that there had been plunder
breast

his

Beowulf

298
done,

He

then

he would dash out again.

could hardly wait for the night to

But presently the day waned at

last, and the Worm had his will
no longer
would he bide in fenced walls, but issue
forth, equipped with fire, to do havoc all
over the land.
Thus it was that the
Dragon's vengeance had a sore beginning
for the people
soon it was to have a
sorer ending for their ruler and benefactor.
come.

II

THE ATTACK

ONCE the monster had begun

his fiery

he did not stop them again.

Far into each night blazed the farmsteads,
raids,

The flying pest would fain

have left nothing alive where his vast form
hovered in the air on broad black pinions,
like to a huge smoke-cloud, with live-coal
eyes and flame squirting and snorting from
open maw and distended nostrils. It was
only just before the break of day that he
shot back again to his dark mansion for
protection for he trusted his rocky keep
late so cheerful.

only that trust deceived him in the end.

Soon
evil

was reported to Beowulf (for

tidings travel swift and sure), that his
it

own mansion,
his own royal

noblest of buildings, even

seat, the gift of the
299

Goths,

Beowulf

300

So
was melting away in fiery waves.
venerable
King
smitten
to
sorely was the
the heart at this great outrage, that he
was tempted to break out into revilings
against Providence,
for never

much against his wont,

was man gentler

in his valour,

more pious in his power.

Deeply did Beowulf revolve
thoughts

and

how he should

his people

from

this

in

his

deliver himself

new

pest, after

many years of peace and happiThe memories of his youth, of the

ness.
time when he, a victorious boy, had purged
the many,

Hrothgar's

hall,

single-handed, of Grendel

loathsome brood, were still green

with him, and the thought of going forth
to seek the Dragon with a host, or even
a band of men, was abhorrent to him. He
decided to go and look about him with
only eleven companions, led by the finder
of the first jewelled tankard, the cause of

and

his

who went as the thirThen the aged King

party.

the baleful feud,

teenth of the

him down on the headland, and began

For
to bid farewell to his hearth-fellows.
his heart was heavy within him and full of
sat

The Attack

301

boding sadness, and his thoughts travelled

back, as aged men's thoughts are apt to
do when they feel the hour of the last
separation drawing nigh back across the

entire field of

life's

achievements, dwelling

longest on what looms remotest.

now

Thus

the ancient warrior, while going over

the days of his youth in rather rambling

speech, dwelt most lovingly on the time

when, as a

stripling,

he did page's service

at the court of Hygelac's father, Hrethel,

whom

own

him when
only seven years old, and who had raised
and fostered him, and held him as dear as
to

own

his

father gave

Then, turning back to the

present and its stern necessities, he addressed an affectionate word to each of
his more familiar comrades, still harping
on his dislike to fight the monster with
any but naked hands
" I would not willingly bear sword or
weapon to meet this Worm, as I formerly
his

sons.

did not against Grendel.

scorching
shall
fine

fire,

deadly

expect to meet

venom

therefore

carry a strong shield and wear a

mail-shirt.

As

for you,

my

men-at-

Beowulf

302

arms, wait ye here on the mountain to see

which of us twain falls, deadly stricken

there on the rock."
As he spoke, the brave old warrior rose
by the brink of the down and sternly
scanned the place around, when, not far
from where they stood, he beheld a rocky
arch, and out of it a stream breaking from
the barrow, steaming hot, so no man
might come nigh the hoard unscorched
and survive the Dragon's flame.
Then did the Prince of the Goths let
forth out of his breast a mighty battleshout, which stirred the keeper of the
hoard under his hoary rock. There was
now no time for reflection or for parleying, for from out the rock there came the
hot reeking breath of the monster, like a

and hardly had the hero

swung his shield and taken his stand well
up by it, when the ringy Worm suddenly
rolled forth and buckled himself into a
bow, and thus, curved like an arch, emitting flame, advanced upon his human foe
cloud of steam

in

a rapid, gliding shuffle.

indeed,

protected

awhile

The
the

shield,

glorious

The Attack
when he

303

arm to
smite with the sword, which he had been

'chieftain,

but

raised his

persuaded to take, the stroke, though

hard, proved inefficient, and only roused
the furious

now

Dragon

to greater rage, so

devouring fire in
volumes and the deadly sparks sprang
every way.
And now, when the combatants closed
again, the monster's breast shot steam in
scalding jets, and the man stood at bay,
unseen for the fire which encompassed
him.
And of his own band of eleven comrades, sons of ethelings all, not one stood
his ground, but all, horror stricken, slunk
that

away

it

to the

cast forth

woods

for shelter.

Ill

WIGLAF

One among them

NO, anot
faithful follower,
all.

proved

Wiglaf, Weoh-

stan's

and

son,

his

Beowulf's youngest comrade

much-loved kinsman.

beheld his liege lord

in

When

he

such sore distress,

smote him, as he thought of the

lands and honours the King had so lately
bestowed on him, and of the justice he
had publicly rendered him and his father
in a just feud
and gratitude moved him
his heart

deeply.

This was the

adventure on which
the young etheling had embarked with
first

When

he saw his fellows

shamefully scurrying off, mindful only of
their own safety, he turned on them and
upbraided them with hottest words of
noble anger.
his liege lord.

304

Wiglaf
'*

What

"

he

cried,

forsake our lord, with

305

and

''

shall

we

thus

whom we were fain to

revel in the festive hall, drinking his mead,

taking his golden rings and well-tempered

swords

He

chose us out of

for this adventure because

and

stout warriors

the

day

is

loyal

he intended to achieve
single-handed

let

his host

he counted us

Now

friends.

come when he

needs

No

strength of his followers.

all

the

matter that

deed

this great

us stand by him

God

knows that I for one had liefer the flame

would swallow me up with him than stand
away now
I
think it shame that we
!

should bear our shields safe

we

rescue the

life

of

our

home

lord.

unless
Is

this

acting according to our old customs, that

we

leave him, alone of noble Goths, to

bear the brunt and

fall

in

an unequal

fight?"

Thus speaking, young Wiglaf boldly

plunged into steam and smoke, with his
helmet on his head, shouting loud
My liege Beowulf now make good
the boast of thy youth, that never in thy
lifetime wouldst thou suffer thy glory to
:

*'

Beowulf

3o6

and I shall stand by thee and

decline,
support thee to the uttermost."
The fell, malignant monster heard the
cheering words and came on with

re-

doubled fury, to engage his hated enemies.

In an instant the wooden lining of Wiglaf s shield was consumed by the flame
but he went forward under shelter of his
elder kinsman's shield when his own was
reduced to ashes. Then the old fire of
battle burned high in the valiant King's
breast, and he smote the Worm so desper;

ate a blow, that the

head, deep stuck

weapon stood

in his

but Naegling, the good

sword, flew in splinters as

it

struck, be-

master as other blades had

done before for it was not given him
that steel should help him in a fight.
And now, enraged even unto death, the
traying

its

Dragon,

made

after yielding

ground somewhat,

a rush at the hero, whose strength

was giving way apace, and, opening wide

neck
the blood

his reeking jaws, enclosed his foe's

with his sharp, long fangs,

flowed

in streams.

till

IV

VICTORY AND DEATH

LOUD

is

the minstrels' song in praise

of Wiglaf, the fearless young etheland the prowess he displayed in his

aged kinsman's behalf, giving him time
to recover his senses, so that at the monster's third onslaught, he could draw the
knife from his belt and gash the Worm
from below, in the middle, with deadly
This was the supreme hour of tristab.
ing,

umph in the hero's career, when his winged,

scaly foe
his

fell off

writhing and gasping out

life.

But

in

fangs had

the

young Wiglaf, sitdown on a stone by the mound where

deadly work.
ting

wound which those cruel

the venom began its

inflicted,

In vain

his liege lord lay exhausted, applied all the

307

Beowulf

3o8

remedies taught him by the leech-lore of

cunning dwarfs, unloosened the helmet,
cooled the swelling neck with water which
he ladled on it with his hand, and laid
on healing herbs which grew in plenty

out of the bountiful earth

mortal, with each

moment

the hurt was

life

was burn-

ing away, with the fiery poison spreading

Beowulf knew
that the tale of his days was told, and he
was spending his last hours on earth. But
through

all

the vital parts.

the hero's brave soul did not quail.

looked death

in the face,

now

that

close over him, as calmly as he

it

He
bent

was wont

in the days when it was but a distant

shadow on the battle-field. The one regret which he expressed was at having no

whom

he could bequeath his royal

But he took comfort in the consciousness of having been a just ruler.
I have ruled this people fifty winters,"
he said " there was not a king who dared
Yet did I hold
threaten them with war.
my own by justice. I have not sought
unjust quarrels nor have I sworn many
Thinking of all this, I am
false oaths.

son to

armour.
*'

Victory and Death

309

though sick unto death with many

wounds, to take comfort, for the Ruler of
men cannot charge me with murder of
able,

kinsmen, when

my

life

quitteth the body."

Yet the dying hero had one wish which

he begged his young kinsman to satisfy
ere his sight and senses failed him
he
fain would have a glimpse of the treasure
which he ha4 bought with his life
Now
quickly go thou, beloved Wiglaf," he said
to his faithful comrade,
and examine the
treasure under the hoary rock, now the
Worm lieth dead. I would have a look
at the curious gems, the hoarded store
then would I more contentedly resign my
life and the lordship I have held so long."
Not a moment did the devoted youth
lose in obeying his beloved lord's behest.
;

''

*'

He

hurried to the

lair of

the

Worm

and

gazed with amazement on the numberless

and wondrous things of value which filled
the barrow, heaped and crushed together,
indenting the ground where the Dragon
had lain on them. The gold was losing
its burnish, the precious stones were falling out, bracelets and helmets were eaten

3IO

by

Beowulf
rust,

losing their value day

Thus can treasure, buried

make fools of men

earth,

by day.

idly

One

in

the

great

marvel of cunningest handicraft Wiglaf

beheld looming high above the hoard it
was a banner, all golden, which gave forth
a gleam of light so bright that it illumined
the darkest recesses of the hollow barrow
and made it easy to examine all the hidden curiosities.
In great haste, hardly pausing to glance
at the uncovered treasure, Wiglaf gathered into his bosom and arms cups and
platters, bracelets and rings, and snatching also the magic banner, eagerly returned to the mound with his spoils,
;

anxiously wondering in his faithful heart

whether he should find his lord alive still

where he left him painfully breathing.
Dropping the riches on the ground without a thought of them, he quickly knelt by
the side of his King, and again began to
sprinkle him with water, till he had restored him to consciousness and speech.
As Beowulf opened his eyes and beheld
the gold for a glimpse of which he had


Victory and Death

311

longed, his brow cleared, and he spoke in

feeble, but cheerful tones

do give thanks to the Lord of all,

the Giver of all things, for those spoils
upon which I here do gaze to think that
I
have been permitted to acquire such
great wealth for my earls and thanes to
enjoy and to remember me by after my
death
I have sold my life for this treasure do thou now provide for my men,
for I shall be with them no more.
Order
**

my
a

brave warriors to erect a lofty cairn

mound

of stones, after the death-fire has

on the headland above

It shall tower aloft for a memothe sea.
rial to my friends, and seafaring men shall

burned

call

Beowulf's Barrow, as they drive

it

their

out, here

foamy barks over the dangerous

waters."

Then

the dying hero took off his gold

and with feeble hands gave it to the
young thane also bade him take his coroneted helmet and his mail-shirt, and wear
them and do honour to his chieftain's
collar

armour.

Once more

the

King spoke, with

failing

Beowulf

312
breath

**
:

Thou

art the last

remnant of

my

our

race.

men
now

into eternity, princes in chivalry

*'

Fate has swept

all

kins-

and
must follow them."
This was the aged monarch's last speech
with the words his soul fled from his bosom,
;

to enter into the everlasting rest of the

righteous.

WIGLAF'S

REBUKE DISMAY AND TEARS

A SAD,

agonizing hour it was for the

warm-hearted youth, new to the
world and its trials, when he sat upon
the ground taking in the first great grief of
his life, as he gazed on the body of the man
who had been dearest to him on earth.
Small comfort he took from the sight of
his dead foe, the horrible Dragon, as he
lay at a little distance, uncoiled and harmless for
still

evermore.

Weary

of heart, but

nursing some sort of stubborn, una-

vailing hope, he sat

by

his lord's shoulder

still kept sprinkling him with water,

he saw his ten faint-hearted comrades,
as they came sneaking shamefacedly from

and
till

the woods, slowly trailing their shields

along to the place where the King lay dead.

313

314

Beowulf

"

Grief gave
the sight.

way

to righteous anger at

Sternly did young Wiglaf look

upon the men he no longer loved, and bitter rebuke flowed unchecked from his lips.
Now, look you," he cried
well may a
man who is minded to speak the truth,
say that the chieftain who gave you those
costly gewgaws, that warlike apparel in
which you stand there before me, who at
'*

'*

the ale-bench so often presented his thanes

with helmet and mail-shirt, utterly and

wretchedly threw his

verily, little

gifts

away.

For,

cause had he to boast of his

hour of danger
Nevertheless, it was given him by God, the
Ordainer of victories, to avenge himself
single-handed when his valour was put to
companions-in-arms

the proof.
afford him,

beyond

my

kinsman.

in the

For little protection could I

though I attempted what was
strength, in trying to help

Now

go,

share of the treasure

ye cravens
is

my
No

there for you or

And may every man of your kin

be sent forth into life-long exile, deprived
of lands and rights, as soon as the ethelings
now at a distance come together and are
yours.

"

Wiglaf s Rebuke
told

of

yoiir

desertion.

Go

3^5

your shameful
from experideath is better far

disloyalty,

and

learn

ence that, to a warrior,,

than a life of shame
When he had relieved his feelings by
this thundering outburst, Wiglaf gave
orders to make the woful issue of the con!

known

and earls
who, by the master's command, had been
encamped over the sea-cliff and had sat
there all day long by their shields, their
souls divided betwixt hope and fear. One
young thane rode up the bluff, sent by the
rest, to view the fatal scene and report to
them, which he did faithfully, in words
pregnant with grief for the present and
flict

to the host of thanes

foreboding for the near future.

Now we may

soon look for war," he

" as soon as the
concluded his report
King's death is made known among the
Franks and Frisians. For never, since
Hygelac fell, have we enjoyed the goodwill of the Merovingian Kings of the
Franks, nor do I count upon peace or
good understanding on the side of the
Swedes such is the feud and grudge of
**

3i6
all

Beowulf
these nations

ever since the

Hygelac on Frisian

land.

fall

of

They will surely

attack us as soon as they learn that our

Prince

is

dead, he

who

has so long upheld

against all foes our treasure and our realm,

winning ever greater respect in public
counsel, and ever greater fame in war.
Now methinks that quickness were best;
so let us look our last upon the mighty
King, and bring him without delay to the
funeral pyre.
And yonder is a hoard of
precious things, gold untold, jewels purchased with our hero's own life-blood.
Never a warrior shall wear any of those
ornaments never a maiden have on her
neck one of those collars. Sorrowful and
stripped of gold ornaments shall all come
;

to the funeral

procession, while

many

hand shall swing the spear in the cold of

the morning music of the harp shall not
waken the warriors on the fateful day but
the ominous raven, fluttering and chatter;

ing of slaughter, will

luck, while,

hungry

tell

alongside

of

the eagle of his

the

grim and

wolf, he stripped the slain."

Upon

hearing the grief-stricken youth's


Wiglaf s Rebuke
discourse,

3^7

the troop arose and sadly,

all

under gushing tears, wended their way

under the crag, to behold the gruesome

There they found, stretched lifeon the sand, the man who had given

sight.
less

them so many
at

bygone times, and,

but a short distance from him, the carrings in

case of the loathsome beast,

with

its

own

flames

frightful

object.

where

lay.

it

all

scorched

never saw they more

It

was

No more

fifty feet long

through the re-

gions of air would he sportively whirl at

midnight, then
joice in his
for caverns

down again pounce

lair

he

any more.

watched, open to

to re-

would have no use

And

there,

un-

men's eyes, lay bowls

and dishes and swords of price, all rusty
all

and corroded, as though they had lain in

the earth's lap a thousand winters for this
treasure had been bound by a magic spell,
so that it might never be touched of man,
unless God Himself granted to one of His
choice to open the enchanted hoard and
that man was to leave his life as ransom
such was Beowulf's lot.
;

VI

THE OBSEQUIES

AND

now Wiglaf once more

his voice

lifted

up

Alas we were not able to convince our

beloved master that he should not challenge yonder monster, but should leave
him to dwell unmolested in his haunts to
But it is done
the end of the world.
the hoard lies open before us, purchased
I was inside the chamat a fearful price.
ber of the barrow and explored the whole
of it, and all the stores it held for, once
"

the price was paid, the spell was broken,

and the passage open to all. Hurriedly I
grabbed with my hands a huge burden of
treasure and carried it hither to the feet
He was still alive then, wise
of my King.
and sensible freely did he talk, although
;

318

The Obsequies

319

And he
the death-pang was upon him.
bade me give you all his greeting and
that ye should build up,
tell you his will
in memory of your chieftain's deeds, on
:

the very place of the funeral pyre, a stonecairn of the highest, forasmuch as he

of

all

men

long as

it

was given him to dwell

royal castle.
gether,

and

was

the most famous warrior, as

And now
visit

let

us go,

the fatal hoard.

in his
all
I

towill

be your guide, and ye shall have your fill

After that,
of gazing on gold and jewels.
let us make ready the bier, and promptly
equip it, and so let us convey our beloved
master to the place where he shall tarry
long in the keeping of the Almighty."
Then, by Wiglafs orders, commands
were sent round to many householders,
that they should haul timber, stout and
sound, to do the last service to the ruler
of men.
While this was being done, Wiglaf
called out of the band seven of the King's
thanes, the choicest led by him, the eighth,
they went under the dangerous roof, one
warrior walking in front, bearing in his
;

Beowulf

320

hand a flaming

When

torch.

they had

taken a view of the treasure, lying there

keeperless and undefended, they did not
stand upon the order of casting lots as to
who should loot the hoard, but went to
work with all despatch to empty the chamThen, taking hold of the dead
ber.
Dragon, they haled him away and shoved
him over the precipitous cliff. With a
great splash the waves engulfed him, and
In the meanlast of him.
was laden on waggons, which
followed the bier whereon the hero was
borne to the high, jutting headland which
he had chosen for his resting-place.
There they constructed for him a huge
pyre, which they hung all round with helmets, battle-shields, bright mail-shirts and
in the midst of the pyre, heaving deep

that

was the

time, the gold

sighs,

they laid their beloved lord.

the warriors set

places

the

mounted up
shot

fire

to the pile in several

smoke,

and black,
the ruddy flames

heavy

to the sky,

aloft, their

Then

roaring mingling with the

howling of the winds, until the house of

flesh

and bone was

utterly

consumed.

The Obsequies
With

321

sore hearts and care-laden minds,

the warriors stood around and silently

mourned

their liege lord, the while a dirge

sorrow was sung by an aged dame,

whose dishevelled hair streamed in the
wind.
The blue heavens swallowed up
the black smoke.
Then did the people go to work and
construct a barrow and a cairn of stones on
It was high and broad, and seathe hill.
faring men would behold it from a great
distance. Ten days they laboured. With
great skill they surrounded the ashes of
the pyre with a noble embankment, and
the pile rose like a beacon for all coming
ages, even as the memory of the hero's
deeds and noble character.
As to the fated hoard, they buried the
whole in the barrow under the cairn, and
left it there, where it remains to this day
as useless to mankind as it has been ever
of

since the last of a

earls consigned

Last of

all

youths, sons

the barrow.

it

company

of

unknown

to the earth's keeping.

funeral ceremonies, twelve

of

ethelings,

From

rode around

time to time they

Beowulf

322

the race, to bewail their

and

stopped

in

bemoan

their King, to recite an elegy in his

honour,

to

loss,

name and reextolling his manhood

celebrate his

hearse his deeds,

with admiring words.

Thus

did the nobles of the Goths, the

companions of

his hearth,

of Beowulf, their lord.

lament the

They

fall

said that he

was of all kings in the world the mildest

and most affable to his men, most genial
to his nobles, and most desirous of glory.

NOTE ON THE "BEOWULF"

NO monumentbeenand

of ancient national

ature has

liter-

to a great ex-

tent still is
so overlooked and underrated
Beowulf." It
as the Anglo-Saxon epic of
has, indeed, been edited and re-edited, and
duly commented on, and it is entered in
the university curriculum of Anglo-Saxon.
But how great a proportion of even inter''

ested students pursue their English studies

Anglo-Saxon ? A cultured
general reader would vainly ask for a
readable translation, even in prose, of the
" Beowulf " nor would he be likely to

as far back as

nothing

even

ask for one, as there

is

the best

English literature,

native
of

histories of

or foreign,

sympathetic

to

awaken a

curiosity

in

feeling

nothing

more

than either a bare mention, or at best,

a brief account, always insufficient and

323

fre-

Beowulf

324

proof positive
lack of popularity
And

quently misleading.
of the poem's total

it

has never yet been illustrated.

An untoward fate seemed to pursue the

Beowulf" even before it came into the
hands of the scholars. There is only one
manuscript of it in existence, which is hid
''

away among nine

others, comparatively

unimportant, in a folio volume labelled

Vitellius

A, XV,, and belonging to the

in the British Museum.

Cottonian Library
It

was noticed

for the first time, in 1705,

in a catalogue of

Anglo-Saxon manuscripts

(Wanley's), in which

containing an

it

account

is

of

described as
certain

between Sweden and Denmark.

less to say

nothing of the kind.

it is

wars
Need-

The

and nobody paid

much attention to it. One hundred years
later, in 1807, Sharon Turner mentioned
notice

was not

poem

the

in

inviting,

his

History of the Anglo-

Saxons, and even attempted a translation

of

a few extracts,

with but indifferent

owing to the then still very imperknowledge of Anglo-Saxon versification and poetic language.
Still, the poem
success,
fect

Note on the '^Beowulf"

325

was now treated with respect, and the

study of it was taken up conscientiously,
by some even enthusiastically.
But the students encountered difficulties
which they would have been spared a hunthe
dred or even eighty years before
the only one was
original manuscript
no longer intact. It had been badly injured in a fire which broke out in the Cottonian Library in 1731, destroying 114
volumes and damaging 98 others, so as to
make them defective," in the words of the
report and among these defective " ones
was our folio.
Numerous leaves were
:

**

''

scorched, and of these, again,

ped
with

off

in the

is

chip-

course of time, doing away

many ends

course,

many

of lines.

The

loss, of

irretrievable, but fortunately not

so great as to impair materially the sense

and the value of the whole. Strangely

enough, the same fate, only worse, overtook the first attempt at an edition of the
poem.
The Danish scholar, Thorkelin,
had brought home two complete copies of
it, for purposes of study and translation.
During twenty years he gave the work


Beowulf

326

much

and had the poem

ahnost ready for the press when, in 1807,
his house was burned down during the
bombardment of Copenhagen by the
Enghsh, and his edition of the " Beowulf
perished, with most of his books
However, the two manuscript copies having
time, off

and

on,

fortunately escaped destruction, Thorkelin

had the extraordinary courage to do the

work over again, and in 181 5 came out the
first

edition of the " Beowulf,"

the

first

printed text, with a parallel Latin transla-

and indices. Since then scholars have

done their duty by this noble monument

tion

way except making it popular.

Coming now to the discussion of the
poem itself, the peculiarity which strikes
in

every

us most at the

first

reading

is

that,

while

is avowedly the national epic of the

Anglo-Saxons and one of the oldest monuments of the Anglo-Saxon language, the
hero is a Goth, and the action takes place
it

' A very complete survey of the critical and philological work

done on the " Beowulf " up to date will be found in the Intro-

duction to Professor John Earle's

literal

notes) published at Oxford in 1892.

prose translation (with

Note on the ''Beowulf"

in

Denmark and

scenery described

in
is

Yet the

Sweden.
that

of

327

a part of

England, which can be

identified to this day, and some of the
names of the locality are said to tally with
those in the poem.
It would seem, therefore, that the Angles and Saxons, who
were near neighbours of the Danes in the
German mother-country, brought the story
over to the British Island and it was retold in literary poetic form before the
Danes came over as pirates and conquerors.
Had the poem been written after
this event, a Swedo-Danish hero could
hardly have been adopted by the subjugated Anglo-Saxons, nor could the Danes
have been mentioned with such absolute
absence of animosity.
Another not only peculiar but highly

Northumbria,

in

puzzling feature

Beowulfs

is

that

there

are two

the second king of the Skyld-

ing dynasty (also called Beow), Beowulf

Dane

and the hero of the poem, Beowulf the Goth, who comes over the sea,
with a picked band of Goths, to deliver the
Skyldings from a most untoward visitation.
the

Beowulf

328

What makes this thing stranger still, is

that the poem begins with a glorification
of the warlike Danes, leading us to expect

that

we

it is

their national hero

whose

exploits

upon to admire. InDanes appear only in

are to be called

stead of which, the

the not very admirable rdle of people

who

endure an intolerable nuisance passively

for twelve years, unable to rid themselves
of it
a fact which is duly brought home
to them by their deliverer in a moment of

legitimate irritation.

curious incongruity

The
lies

reason for this

almost certainly

in

the alterations which the old story under-

went,

as

all

epic stories did in the pro-

gress of oral transmission, and even in the

attempts, which were often

written

first

and

cast
final

re-cast before they

Originally, the second Beo-

form.

wulf was certainly a

As

such,

Dane and a Skylding.

he would quite naturally and

properly be
is

reached their

named

after the ancestor

who

held up as a model prince in the pro-

logue.

poem

The

latest criticism detects in the

amounting
proof that such was the case.
itself traces

to intrinsic
It

was

nat-

Note on the
ural that

'*

Beowulf"

Beowulf, himself a

329

Skylding,

should be the champion and deliverer

of'

and house, and, after the death

of the aged king, should be called to the
throne by the country for which he had
laboured and fought.
Gothland is evidently, to use the clever French phrase,
" dragged in by the hair "
by whom and
for what reason, is immaterial to the mere
reading of the story,
But a genealogical
connection between the two Beowulfs is
felt as an imperious necessity, and the absence of it is a glaring inconsistency which
it would be hopeless to attempt to smooth
his people

over or explain away for the benefit of

youthful readers, whose exacting logic in
such things

is

Wherefore the

proverbial.

expedient has been resorted to

in

the

present volume of making the second Beo-

wulf a Skylding by his mother

dient innocent enough, since

we

din

expe-

are not

and why could

not a royal daughter of Denmark be married to a royal thane of Gothland ?
As to the authorship of the poem, it is
of course obscure. But the latest criticism
told

who was

his

mother

Beowulf

33^

shows good reason to ascribe it to a high

Church dignitary possibly Hygeberht,
statesman and
Litchfield
Bishop of

courtier at the time of the great Offa

II.,

King of Mercia (mentioned with great, but

Lay II.), who in the

not servile praise in

second half of the eighth century gathered

the entire Heptarchy under his overlordship.
The few historical touches betray
the

man

versed

in

the affairs of

more

countries than his own.^

'

For the very interesting development of

this hypothesis, as

well as for other points of exhaustive research

and

criticism,

see J. Earle's Introduction, already alluded to.

Professor Earle's version has been fully utilised in the present

volume, even to the extent of frequently making use of

wording, where

it

reading purposes.

was not too archaic or

literal for

its

ordinary

KEY TO THE PRONUNCIATION OF

PROPER NAMES.
Aeschere
Alberich

Es'-ka-ra.

Balmung

BalK-mung.

Bechlaren

Bec-la^-ren.

Ar-ber-ic.

Beowulf

Bi'-o-wulf.

Breca
Brunhilde

Bra'-ka.

Dankwart

Dank^-vart.

Eckewart

lEck^-e-vart.

Etzel

Brun-hir-da.

Et'-sel.

Folker

Foir-ker.

Gemot

Ger'-n6t.

Giselher

Gf-zel-har.

Grendel
Gunther

Gren^-del.

Gun'-ter.

Hagen

Hag'-en.

Hela

HaMa.

Helferich

Her.fer-ic.

Helke
Heorot

Hi'-o-rot.

Her-ka

Heremod

Ha'-re-m6d.

Hildebrand

Hir-de-brand,
331

Key

332

to Pronunciation

* Hrethel
^ Hrothgar
^ Hrunting

Hra'-thel.

Hroth^-gar.

Hrunt'-ing.

Hygd.

Higd.

Hygeberht
Hygelac

Hig'-e-bert.

Isenstein

r-sen-stlne.

Kriemhilde
Ludegast
Naegling
Nibelungs
Ortewein
Rudiger

Krim-hir-da.

Hig'-e-lac.

Lu^-de-gast.
Nag'-ling.

Ni^-be-lungs.
Orr'-te-vTne.

Ru'-di-ger.

Siegfried

Sig^-frid.

Sieglinde

Sig-lin'-da.

Siegmund

Sig'-mund.

Skyldings

Skrld'-ings.

Thrytho

Thri'-tho.

Tronje
Unferth

Tron'-y^.

Ute

Un^-ferth.
U'-ta.

Valkyrie

Val-kir'-ya.

Wealhtheow
Weohstan

Wer-the-o.

Wiglaf
Wolfhart

WigMaf.
Volf-hart.

Worms

Vorrms.

Wulfgar
Xante

Wulf'-gar.

W'l'-o-stan.

Kzan'-ta.
*

The

to be aspirated.

WORKS BY

ZENAIDE
I.

The Story

A.

RACOZIN.
From

of Chaldea.

to the rise of Assyria.

the earliest times

(Treated as a general

troduction to the study of ancient history.)

maps and 80
II.

The Story

8vo, cloth

illustrations.

in-

With
$1 50

of Assyria. From the rise of the

With maps and 89
fall of Nineveh.

empire to the

8vo, cloth

illustrations.
III.

The

Story of Media, Babylonia, and Persia.

From the fall of Nineveh to the beginning of the
Persian war.

and the

life

With a study of the Eranian religion

and influence of Zoroaster.
8vo,

cloth

IV.

The

$1 50

Story of Vedic India.

cipally in the Rig-Veda.

V.

As embodied

8vo, cloth

prin-

$1 50

The Story
the

of Brahmanic India. A study of

Atharva-Veda, the Brahmanas, the Upani-

shads, the laws,

great epics.

VI.

$1 50

The

and a synopsis

at least of the

(In preparation.)

Story of Ancient China.

affinities of

Presenting the
the writing-system, the language, and

the earliest culture of the Chinese with those of

the Shumiro-Accads of Chaldea, together with an
analysis of the teachings of Confucius
cius.

(In preparation.)

and Men-

RETURN TO

the circulation desk of any

University of California Library

or to the

NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY

BIdg. 400,

Richmond

FACILITY

Field Station

University of California

Richmond,

CA 94804-4698

ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS

may be renewed by calling
(510)642-6753
1-year loans may be recharged by bringing books

2- month loans

to

NRLF

Renewals
prior to

and recharges
due date

may be made 4 days

DUE AS STAMPED BELOW

^^^

^^

20,000 (4/94)

YB 37092