The Tale of Beowulf/Chapter 20
XX. GRENDEL'S DAM BREAKS INTO HART AND BEARS OFF AESCHERE.
SO sank they to slumber; but one paid full sorely1251For his rest of the even, as to them fell full oftenSithence that the gold-hall Grendel had guarded,And won deed of unright, until that the end cameAnd death after sinning: but clear was it shown now,Wide wotted of men, that e'en yet was a wreakerLiving after the loathly, a long while of timeAfter the battle-care, Grendel's own mother;The woman, the monster-wife, minded her woe,She who needs must in horror of waters be wonning,1260The streams all a-cold, sithence Cain was becomeFor an edge-bane forsooth to his very own brother,The own son of his father. Forth bann'd then he fared,All marked by murder, from man's joy to flee,And dwelt in the waste-land. Thence woke there a manyGhosts shapen of old time, of whom one was Grendel, The fierce wolf, the hateful, who found him at HartA man there a-watching, abiding the war-tide;Where to him the fell ogre to hand-grips befell;Howe'er he him minded of the strength of his might,1270The great gift set fast in him given of God,And trowed in grace by the All-wielder given,His fostering, his staying; so the fiend he o'ercameAnd bow'd down the Hell's ghost, that all humble he wendedFordone of all mirth death's house to go look on,That fiend of all mankind. But yet was his mother,The greedy, the glum-moody, fain to be goingA sorrowful journey her son's death to wreak.So came she to Hart whereas now the Ring-DanesWere sleeping adown the hall; soon there befellChange of days to the earl-folk, when in she came thrusting,1281Grendel's mother: and soothly was minish'd the terrorBy even so much as the craft-work of maidens,The war-terror of wife, is beside the man weapon'd, When the sword all hard bounden, by hammers to-beaten,The sword all sweat-stain'd, through the swine o'er the war-helmWith edges full doughty down rightly sheareth.But therewith in the hall was tugg'd out the hard edge,The sword o'er the settles, and wide shields a manyHeaved fast in the hand: no one the helm heeded,Nor the byrny wide-wrought, when the wild fear fell on them.1291In haste was she then, and out would she thenceforthFor the saving her life, whenas she should be found there.But one of the athelings she speedily handledAnd caught up full fast, and fenward so fared.But he was unto Hrothgar the liefest of heroesOf the sort of the fellows; betwixt the two sea-floodsA mighty shield-warrior, whom she at rest brake up,A war-wight well famed. There Beowulf was not;Another house soothly had erewhile been dightedAfter gift of that treasure to that great one of Geats.1301 Uprose cry then in Hart, all 'mid gore had she takenThe hand, the well-known, and now care wrought anewIn the wicks was arisen. Naught well was the bargainThat on both halves they needs must be buying that tideWith the life-days of friends. Then the lord king, the wise,The hoary of war-folk, was harmed of moodWhen his elder of thanes and he now unliving,The dearest of all, he knew to be dead.To the bower full swiftly was Beowulf brought now,1310The man victory-dower'd; together with day-dawnWent he, one of the earls, that champion be-worthy'd,Himself with his fellows, where the wise was abidingTo wot if the All-wielder ever will to himAfter the tale of woe happy change work.Then went down the floor he the war-worthyWith the host of his hand, while high dinn'd the hall-wood,Till he there the wise one with words had well greeted, The lord of the Ingwines, and ask'd had the night been,Since sore he was summon'd, a night of sweet easement.1320