The Tale of Beowulf/Chapter 4
IV. NOW COMES BEOWULF ECGTHEOW'S SON TO THE LAND OF THE DANES, AND THE WALL-WARDEN SPEAKETH WITH HIM.
SO care that was time-long the kinsman of HealfdeneStill seeth'd without ceasing, nor might the wise warrior190Wend otherwhere woe, for o'er strong was the strife All loathly so longsome late laid on the people,Need-wrack and grim nithing, of night-bales the greatest.Now that from his home heard the Hygelac's thane,Good midst of the Geat-folk; of Grendel's deeds heard he.But he was of mankind of might and main mightiestIn the day that we tell of, the day of this life,All noble, strong-waxen. He bade a wave-wearerRight good to be gear'd him, and quoth he that the war-kingOver the swan-road he would be seeking,200The folk-lord far-famed, since lack of men had he.Forsooth of that faring the carles wiser-fashion'dLaid little blame on him, though lief to them was he;The heart-hardy whetted they, heeded the omen.There had the good one, e'en he of the Geat-folk,Champions out-chosen of them that he keenestMight find for his needs; and he then the fifteenthSought to the sound-wood. A swain thereon show'd him,A sea-crafty man, all the make of the land-marks. Wore then a while, on the waves was the floater,210The boat under the berg, and yare then the warriorsStrode up on the stem; the streams were a-windingThe sea 'gainst the sands. Upbore the swains thenUp into the bark's barm the bright-fretted weapons,The war-array stately; then out the lads shov'd her,The folk on the welcome way shov'd out the wood-bound.Then by the wind driven out o'er the wave-holmFar'd the foamy-neck'd floater most like to a fowl,Till when was the same tide of the second day's wearingThe wound-about-stemm'd one had waded her way,So that then they that sail'd her had sight of the land,221Bleak shine of the sea-cliff's, bergs steep up above,Sea-nesses wide reaching; the sound was won over,The sea-way was ended: then up ashore swiftlyThe band of the Weder-folk up on earth wended;They bound up the sea-wood, their sarks on them rattled,Their weed of the battle, and God there they thankedFor that easy the wave-ways were waxen unto them. But now from the wall saw the Scylding-folks' warder,E'en he who the holm-cliffs should ever be holding,Men bear o'er the gangway the bright shields a-shining,231Folk-host gear all ready. Then mind-longing wore him,And stirr'd up his mood to wot who were the men-folk.So shoreward down far'd he his fair steed a-riding,Hrothgar's Thane, and full strongly then set he a-quakingThe stark wood in his hands, and in council-speech speer'd he:What men be ye then of them that have war-gear,With byrnies bewarded, who the keel high up-buildedOver the Lake-street thus have come leading,Hither o'er holm-ways hieing in ring-stem?240End-sitter was I, a-holding the sea-ward,That the land of the Dane-folk none of the loathlyFaring with ship-horde ever might scathe it.None yet have been seeking more openly hitherOf shield-havers than ye, and ye of the leave-wordOf the framers of war naught at all wotting, Or the manners of kinsmen. But no man of earls greaterSaw I ever on earth than one of you yonder,The warrior in war-gear: no hall-man, so ween I,Is that weapon-beworthy'd, but his visage belie him,250The sight seen once only. Now I must be wottingThe spring of your kindred ere further ye cast ye,And let loose your false spies in the Dane-land a-faringYet further afield. So now, ye far-dwellers,Ye wenders o'er sea-flood, this word do ye hearkenOf my one-folded thought: and haste is the handiestTo do me to wit of whence is your coming.