The Tale of Beowulf/Chapter 29
XXIX. BEOWULF TELLS HYGELAC OF HROTHGAR: ALSO OF FREAWARU HIS DAUGHTER.
WENT his ways then the hard one, and he with his hand-shoal,Himself over the sand the sea-plain a-treading,The warths wide away; shone the world's candle, The sun slop'd from the southward; so dreed they their journey,And went their ways stoutly unto where the earls' refuge,The banesman of Ongentheow all in his burgs there,The young king of war, the good, as they heard it,Was dealing the rings. Aright unto Hygelac1970Was Beowulf's speeding made knowen full swiftly,That there into the house-place that hedge of the warriors,His mate of the linden-board, living was come,Hale from the battle-play home to him houseward.Then rathe was beroomed, as the rich one was bidding,For the guests a-foot going the floor all withinward.Then sat in the face of him he from the fight sav'd,Kinsman by kinsman, whenas his man-lordIn fair-sounding speech had greeted the faithfulWith mightyful words. With mead-skinking turned1980Through the high house adown the daughter of Hæreth: The people she loved: the wine-bucket bare sheTo the hands of the men. But now fell to HygelacHis very house-fellow in that hall the highTo question full fairly, for wit-lust to-brake him,Of what like were the journeys the Sea-Geats had wended:How befell you the sea-lode, O Beowulf lief,When thou on a sudden bethoughtst thee afarOver the salt water the strife to be seeking,The battle in Hart? or for Hrothgar forsooth1990The wide-kenned woe some whit didst thou mend,For that mighty of lords? I therefore the mood-careIn woe-wellings seethed; trow'd not in the wendingOf thee the lief man. A long while did I pray theeThat thou the death-guest there should greet not a whit;Wouldst let those same South-Danes their own selves to settleThe war-tide with Grendel. Now to God say I thankThat thee, and thee sound, now may I see.Out then spake Beowulf, Ecgtheow's bairn:All undark it is, O Hygelac lord,2000That meeting the mighty, to a many of men; Of what like was the meeting of Grendel and meOn that field of the deed, where he many a dealFor the Victory-Scyldings of sorrow had framed,And misery for ever; but all that I awreaked,So that needeth not boast any kinsman of GrendelAny one upon earth of that uproar of dawn-dusk,Nay not who lives longest of that kindred the loathlyEncompass'd of fenland. Thither first did I comeUnto that ring-hall Hrothgar to greet;2010Soon unto me the great Healfdene's son,So soon as my heart he was wotting forsooth,Right against his own son a settle there showed.All that throng was in joy, nor life-long saw I everUnder vault of the heavens amidst any hall-sittersMore mirth of the mead. There the mighty Queen whiles,Peace-sib of the folk, went all over the floor,To the young sons bade heart up; oft she there the ring-wreathGave unto a man ere to settle she wended.At whiles fore the doughty the daughter of Hrothgar2020To the earls at the end the ale-bucket bore;E'en she whom Freawaru the floor-sitters thereatHeard I to name; where she the nail'd treasure Gave to the warriors. She was behight thenYoungling and gold-dight to the glad son of Froda.This hath seemed fair to the friend of the Scyldings,The herd of the realm, and good rede he accounts it,That he with that wife of death-feuds a dealAnd of strifes should allay. Oft unseldom each-whereAfter a lord's fall e'en but for a little2030Bows down the bane-spear, though doughty the bride be.