Beowulf And Grendel

Long ago, a king named Hrothgar ruled over the Danes. He won great success and glory in war, so his loyal kinsmen willingly obeyed him, and everything prospered in his land.

One day, he decided to build a magnificent banquet-hall where he could entertain both the young and old of his kingdom. He made the work widely known to many tribes across the earth, so they might bring rich gifts to adorn the hall.

In time, the banquet-house was built and towered aloft, high and battlemented. Hrothgar named it Heorot and called his guests to the feast, giving them rings and other treasures. Afterward, every day the joyous sound of revelry rang loud in the hall, with the music of the harp and the clear notes of the singers.

But it was not long before the pleasure of the king's men was broken, for a wicked demon began to work mischief against them. This cruel spirit was called Grendel, and he dwelt on the moors and among the fens. One night, he came to Heorot when the noble guests lay at rest after the feast. Seizing thirty thanes as they slept, he set off on his homeward journey, exulting in his booty.

At break of day, his deed was known to all men, and great was the grief among the thanes. The good King Hrothgar sat in sorrow, suffering heavy distress for the death of his warriors.

Not long afterward, Grendel appeared again and committed an even worse murder. After that, the warriors no longer dared to sleep in Heorot, but sought out secret resting-places, leaving the great house empty.

A long time passed. For twelve winters, Grendel waged a perpetual feud against Hrothgar and his people. The livelong night he roamed over the misty moors, visiting Heorot and destroying both tried warriors and young men whenever he was able. Hrothgar was heartbroken, and many councils were held in secret to decide what to do against these terrible fears. But nothing could stop the fiend's ravages.

Now the tale of Grendel's deeds spread into many lands. Among those who heard it were the Geats, whose king was Higelac. Chief of his thanes was a noble and powerful warrior named Beowulf, who resolved to go to the help of the Danes. He bade his men prepare a good sea-boat so that he might cross the wild swan's path to seek out Hrothgar and aid him. His people encouraged him to go on that dangerous errand, even though he was dear to them.

So Beowulf chose fourteen of his keenest warriors and sailed away over the waves in his well-equipped vessel, until he came within sight of the cliffs and mountains of Hrothgar's kingdom. The Danish warder, who kept guard over the coast, saw them as they made their ship fast and carried their bright weapons ashore. He mounted his horse and rode to meet them, bearing his staff of office, and questioned them closely about where they came from and what their business was.

Beowulf explained their errand, and the warder, when he heard it, bade them pass onward with their weapons and ordered that their ship be safely guarded.

Soon they came within sight of the fair palace Heorot, and the warder showed them the way to Hrothgar's court. Then he bade them farewell and returned to keep watch on the coast.

The bold thanes marched forward to Heorot, their armor and weapons glittering as they went. Entering the hall, they set their shields and bucklers against the walls, placed their spears upright in a sheaf together, and sat down on the benches, weary from their seafaring.

Then a proud liegeman of Hrothgar's stepped forward and asked: "Whence bring ye your shields, your gray war-shirts and frowning helmets, and this sheaf of spears? Never saw I men of more valiant aspect."

"We are Higelac's boon companions," answered Beowulf. "Beowulf is my name, and I desire to declare my errand to the great prince, thy lord, if he will grant us leave to approach him."

So Wulfgar, another of Hrothgar's chieftains, went out to the king where he sat with the assembly of his earls and told him of the arrival of the strangers. Hrothgar received the news with joy, for he had known Beowulf when he was a boy and had heard of his fame as a warrior. Therefore he bade Wulfgar bring him to his presence, and soon Beowulf stood before him and cried:

"Hail to thee, Hrothgar! I have heard the tale of Grendel, and my people, who know my strength and prowess, have counseled me to seek thee out. For I have wrought great deeds in the past, and now I shall do battle against this monster. Men say that so thick is his tawny hide that no weapon can injure him. I therefore disdain to carry sword or shield into the combat, but will fight with the strength of my arm only, and either I will conquer the fiend or he will bear away my dead body to the moor. Send to Higelac, if I fall in the fight, my beautiful breastplate. I have no fear of death, for Destiny must ever be obeyed."

Then Hrothgar told Beowulf of the great sorrow caused to him by Grendel's terrible deeds, and of the failure of all attempts by warriors to overcome him. Afterward, he bade him sit down with his followers to partake of a meal.

So a bench was cleared for the Geats, and a thane waited upon them. All the noble warriors gathered together, and a great feast was held once more in Heorot with song and revelry. Waltheow, Hrothgar's queen, came forth also, and handed the wine-cup to each of the thanes, pledging the king in joyful mood and thanking Beowulf for his offer of help.

At last, all the company arose to go to rest. Hrothgar entrusted the guardianship of Heorot to Beowulf with cheering words and bade him good night.

Then all left the hall, save only a watch appointed by Hrothgar, and Beowulf himself with his followers, who laid themselves down to rest.

No long time passed before Grendel came prowling from his home on the moors under the misty slopes. Full of evil purpose, he burst with fury into the hall and strode forward raging, a hideous, fiery light gleaming from his eyes. In the hall lay the warriors asleep, and Grendel laughed in his heart as he gazed at them, thinking to feast upon them all. Quickly he seized a sleeping warrior and devoured him; then, stepping forward, he reached out his hand toward Beowulf as he lay at rest.

But the hero was ready for him and seized his arm in a deadly grip such as Grendel had never felt before. Terror arose in the monster's heart, and his mind was bent on flight, but he could not get away.

Then Beowulf stood upright and grappled with him firmly. The two rocked to and fro in the struggle, knocking over benches and shaking the hall with the violence of their fight. Suddenly a new and terrible cry arose, the cry of Grendel in fear and pain, for never once did Beowulf relax his hold. Many of Beowulf's earls drew their swords and rushed to aid their master, but no blade could pierce him, and nothing but Beowulf's mighty strength could prevail.

At last, the monster's arm was torn off at the shoulder, and sick unto death, he fled to the fens, there to end his joyless life. Beowulf rejoiced at his night's work, for he had freed Heorot forever from the fiend's ravages.

On the morrow, the warriors flocked to the hall. When they heard what had taken place, they went out and followed Grendel's tracks to a mere upon the moors, into which he had plunged and given up his life. Then, sure of his death, they returned rejoicing to Heorot, talking of Beowulf's glorious deed, and there they found the king and queen and a great company of people awaiting them.

Great was the rejoicing and happiness. Fair and gracious were the thanks that Hrothgar gave to Beowulf, and great was the feast prepared in Heorot. Cloths embroidered with gold were hung along the walls, and the hall was decked in every possible way.

When all were seated at the feast, Hrothgar bade the attendants bring forth his gifts to Beowulf as a reward of victory. He gave him an embroidered banner, a helmet and breastplate, and a valuable sword, all adorned with gold and richly ornamented. Also, he ordered the servants to bring into the court eight horses, on one of which was a curiously adorned and very precious saddle, which the king was wont to use himself when he rode to practice the sword-game. These also he gave to Beowulf, thus like a true man requiting his valiant deeds with horses and other precious gifts. He bestowed treasures also on each of Beowulf's followers and gave orders that a price should be paid in gold for the man whom the wicked Grendel had slain.

After this, there arose within the hall the din of voices and the sound of song. The instruments also were brought out, and Hrothgar's minstrel sang a ballad for the delight of the warriors. Waltheow also came forth, bearing in her train presents for Beowulf—a cup, two armlets, raiment and rings, and the largest and richest collar that could be found in all the world.

When evening came, Hrothgar departed to his rest, and the warriors cleared the hall and lay down to sleep once more, with their shields and armor beside them as was their custom. But Beowulf was not with them, for another resting-place had been assigned to him that night, for all thought there was no longer any danger to be feared.

But in this they were mistaken, as they soon learnt to their cost.

For no sooner were they all asleep than Grendel's mother, a monstrous witch who dwelt at the bottom of a cold mere, came to Heorot to avenge her son and burst into the hall. The thanes started up in terror, hastily grasping their swords, but she seized upon Asher, the most beloved of Hrothgar's warriors, who still lay sleeping, and bore him off with her to the fens, carrying also Grendel's arm, which lay at one end of the hall.

Then there arose an uproar and the sound of mourning in Heorot. In fierce and gloomy mood, Hrothgar summoned Beowulf and told him the ghastly tale, begging him, if he dared, to go forth to seek out the monster and destroy it.

Full of courage, Beowulf answered with cheerful words, promising that Grendel's mother should not escape him. Soon he was riding forth fully equipped on his quest, accompanied by Hrothgar and many a good warrior. They were able to follow the witch's tracks right through the forest glades and across the gloomy moor, until they came to a spot where some mountain trees bent over a hoar rock, beneath which lay a dreary and troubled lake. There beside the water's edge lay the head of Asher, and they knew that the witch must be at the bottom of the water.

Full of grief, the warriors sat down while Beowulf arrayed himself in his cunningly fashioned coat of mail and his richly ornamented helmet. Then he turned to Hrothgar and spoke a last word to him:

"If the fight goes against me, great chieftain, be thou a guardian to my thanes, my kinsmen, and my trusty comrades. Send to Higelac those treasures that thou gavest me, that he may know thy kindness to me. Now will I earn glory for myself, or death shall take me away."

So saying, he plunged into the gloomy lake, at the bottom of which was Grendel's mother. Very soon she perceived his approach, and rushing forth, grappled with him and dragged him down to her den, where many horrible sea-beasts joined in the fight against him. This den was so fashioned that the water could not enter it, and it was lit by the light of a fire that shone brightly in the midst of it.

Now Beowulf drew his sword and thrust at his terrible foe, but the weapon could not injure her. He was forced to fling it away and trust in the powerful grip of his arms, as he had done with Grendel. Seizing the witch, he shook her till she sank to the ground, but she quickly rose again and requited him with a terrible hand-clutch, which caused Beowulf to stagger and then fall. Throwing herself upon him, she seized a dagger to strike him, but he wrenched himself free and once more stood upright.

Then he suddenly perceived an ancient sword hanging on the wall of the den and seized it as a last resource. Fierce and savage, but well-nigh hopeless, he struck the monster heavily upon the neck with it. Then, to his joy, the blade pierced right through her body, and she sank down dying.

At that moment the flames of the fire leapt up, throwing a brilliant light over the den, and there against the wall Beowulf beheld the dead body of Grendel lying on a couch. With one swinging blow of the powerful sword, he struck off his head as a trophy to carry to Hrothgar.

But now a strange thing happened, for the blade of the sword began to melt away even as ice melts, and soon nothing was left of it save the hilt. Carrying this and Grendel's head, Beowulf now left the den and swam upward to the surface of the lake.

There the thanes met him with great rejoicings, and some quickly helped him to undo his armor, while others prepared to carry the great head of Grendel back to Heorot.

It took four men to carry it, and ghastly, though wonderful, was the sight of it.

And now once more the warriors assembled in Heorot, and Beowulf recounted to Hrothgar the full tale of his adventure and presented to him the hilt of the wonderful sword. Again the king thanked him from the depth of his heart for his valiant deeds, and as before a fair feast was prepared and the warriors made merry until night came and they repaired to rest, certain this time of their safety.

On the morrow, Beowulf and his nobles made ready to depart to their own land. When they were fully equipped, they went to bid farewell to Hrothgar. Then Beowulf spoke, saying:

"Now are we voyagers eager to return to our lord Higelac. We have been right well and heartily entertained, O king, and if there is aught further that I can ever do for thee, then I shall be ready for thy service. If ever I hear that thy neighbors are again persecuting thee, I will bring a thousand thanes to thy aid; and I know that Higelac will uphold me in this."

"Dear are thy words to me, O Beowulf," Hrothgar made answer, "and great is thy wisdom. If Fate should take away the life of Higelac, the Geats could have no better king than thou; and hereafter there shall never more be feuds between the Danes and the Geats, for thou by thy great deeds hast made a lasting bond of friendship between them."

Then Hrothgar gave more gifts to Beowulf and bade him seek his beloved people and afterward come back again to visit him, for so dearly had he grown to love him that he longed to see him again.

So the two embraced and bade each other farewell with great affection. Then at last Beowulf went down to where his ship rode at anchor and sailed away with his followers to his own country, taking with him the many gifts that Hrothgar had made to him. And coming to Higelac's court, he told him of his adventures, and having shown him the treasure, gave it all up to him, so loyal and true was he. But Higelac in return gave Beowulf a goodly sword and seven thousand pieces of gold and a manor-house, also a princely seat for him to dwell in. There Beowulf lived in peace, and not for many years was he called to fresh adventures.

After his return to the land of the Geats, Beowulf served Higelac faithfully until the day of the king's death, which befell in an expedition he made to Friesland. Beowulf was with him on that disastrous journey, and only with difficulty did he escape with his life. But when he returned as a poor solitary fugitive to his people, Hygd, Higelac's wife, offered him the kingdom and the king's treasures, for she feared that her young son Heardred was not strong enough to hold the throne of his fathers against invading foes.

Beowulf, however, would not accept the kingdom but rather chose to uphold Heardred among the people, giving him friendly counsel and serving him faithfully and honorably.

But before very long, Heardred was killed in battle, and then at last Beowulf consented to become king of the Geats.

For fifty years he ruled well and wisely, and his people prospered. But at last trouble came in the ravages of a terrible dragon, and once more Beowulf was called forth to a terrific combat.