Wan 'neath the clouds, the dusky night, the shadow

helm of men.

Uprose the sitters all; the king with ordered words

again

Greeted Beowulf; gave to him the hall in charge to

hold,

And said: "To no man ever yet have I this house of

gold

Entrusted save to thee, since first I hand and shield could raise.

Have now and keep this best of halls! Think of thy deeds of praise,

Make known thy strength, watch 'gainst the foe! And nothing shalt thou lack

If from this glorious work of thine alive thou comest back!"

Then from the hall amid his knights forth passed the Scyldings' head,

The warrior-lord Queen Waltheow sought, the partner of his bed.

V.

THE FIGHT WITH GRENDEL.

'Gainst Grendel had the glorious king-so were the people told

A hall-guard set; an eoten-watch its special post to

hold

Around the lord of Danes.

His trust the Gothic chief did place Surely in strength of his great soul, and in th' Almighty's grace.

He doffed his iron coat of mail, the helmet from his

brow;

His goodly sword of choicest steel he gave his thane;

and now

He bade him keep his fighting gear; and ere he climbed his bed

The valiant Goth Beowulf thus his words of vaunting said:

"No meaner man I count myself in warlike deeds and might

Than Grendel; therefore (though I may) with sword I will not smite

Nor take his life. With these good arms he knoweth not to kill,

Nor hew the shield, though proud he be of all his deadly skill!

We two this night shall use no sword, if weaponless

he dare

The battle seek. To either then-however it may

fare

Shall God all-knowing glory give as shall to Him seem best."

He laid him down, the brave in war, his cheek

the bolster pressed;

And round him in the hall asleep lay many a seaman

bold.

No man among them thought again his kinsfolk to

behold,

Or dear loved home,-the lordly burg where he was born and bred;

Already in the hall they knew too many Danes were

dead!

But God for them wove victory,* and gave them help

and joy,

That by the strength of one alone their foe they should

destroy;

For sooth is known that mighty God mankind hath ever swayed.

Then through the darksome night came prowling

he who walks in shade.

The fighters slept who were to keep the many-pointed

hall,

Ac him dryhten forgeaf wigspéda gewiofu.

The phrase,

Grimm remarks, is purely heathen, 'God' being only substituted

for 'Weird.' (D. M. p. 387.)

D

All slept save one. To men 'twas known that on

them might not fall,

Since God forbade, that fiend in gloom. With wrathful courage high

Beowulf waited for the foe the battle-doom to try.

Down from the moor, 'neath misty fells, bearing the

wrath of God,

Thinking in that high hall to snare some sleeper, Grendel trod.

Onward he went beneath the clouds, until he could

behold

The goodly-plated house of men, the heroes' hall of

gold.

Not now first sought he Hrothgar's home, but never had he yet

In all his life's-day such hall-thanes or harder warriors

met!

Accursed to the house he strode; and soon beneath

his hands

The door flew open at his touch though closed with fire-wrought bands.

With thoughts of ill he angry burst within the open door, And straightway trod with wrathful steps the many

coloured floor,

While from his eyes like flame of fire forth flashed a baleful light!

Together in the hall he saw, all sleeping, many a

knight;

A crowd of kindred men.

in heart,

The evil monster laughed

And thought that ere the dawning day body and life

he'd part

In all of them, for greedily he weened of plenteous

meat.

But doomed had Weird that from that night man's flesh he ne'er should eat.

Then earnestly Beowulf watched how with his dreadful

grasp

The wicked scather wrought his will. He paused not, in his clasp,

For first adventure, swift he seized and slew a sleeping

thane;

Bit in the flesh, gulped mouthfuls down, drank blood from every vein,

And soon the corse was all devoured even to the hands

and feet,

Nearer he drew and felt Beowulf lying on the seat ;The fiend made one fierce clutch at him, but propped upon his arm

Swift did Beowulf seize the wretch, and soon that lord of harm

Found that in all realms of earth he ne'er before had

met

In any man so strong a grip, and fears his heart

beset.

But not for that could he break loose. His mind was bent on flight,

To seek his noisy devildom, and flee into the night; Work like to this in his life's-day he ne'er before had

tried!