Beowulf Chapters 15-27

Beowulf: Chapters XV-XXVII

Fighting Grendel's Mom

Beowulf is needed

It was a day's while ere he might see the bottom-level. Soon she, that, ravenous for food, grim and greedy, had held for half a hundred winters the stretches of the flood, found that some one of men was there from above searching out the home of beings not man-like. She laid hold then upon him, seized him in her terrible claws...

Now, again, is help in thee alone. That country thou know'st not yet, the fearsome place, where thou mayest find the much-sinning one. Seek it if thou darest. I shall requite thee for the strife with gifts for the keeping, with old-time treasures and twisted gold, as I did before, shouldst thou come thence away...Beowulf spake, the son of Ecgtheow: Sorrow not, man of wise mind! It is better one should avenge his friend than mourn for him long.

Each of us must abide life's end in this world. Let him that may, win fame ere death; that shall be best thereafter for a warrior, when life is no more.

Grendel's Mom

"This Ain't Over"

Grendel's mother kept thought of her sorrow, a she-one, a monster-wife, that was fated to dwell midst the water's terrors, in the cold streams, after Cain had slain by the sword his only brother, his kin by one father...outlawed he went away then, with the mark of murder on him, to flee the joys of men, and dwelt in waste places. Of him were born many demons ordained of fate; Grendel was one of them, an outcast filled with hatred...

the fight continued

They sank then to sleep. One paid sorely for his evening's rest, even as full often had befallen them after Grendel took the gold-hall for his own, did what was not right till the end came, death following upon his sins. It became plain, and known far and wide of men, that an avenger still lived even yet after him, the loathly one, for a long time

following upon that bitter warfare.

Strong in battle he hurled his life's foe, for that he was swollen with wrath, so she fell to the ground. Quickly she paid him back his dues to his hand in savage clinchings, and laid hold upon him. Spent in spirit, the fighter on foot, strongest of warriors, tripped so he fell. Then she threw herself on the stranger in her hall, and drew her dagger broad and bright-edged she thought to avenge her son, her only child. His woven breast-mail lay on his shoulder; it shielded his life, withstood the in-thrust of point and blade.

Beowulf's Reward

Bowulf Wins

He saw then among the war-gear a blade oft victorious, an old sword of the eotens, doughty of edge, one prized by warriors; it was the choicest of weapons, save that it was greater than any other man might bear out to the battle-play, good and brave to see, the work of giants. The warrior of the Scyldings seized it by its chain-bound hilt. Raging and battle-fierce, he drew the ring-marked blade, and despairing of life smote so wrathfully that the hard edge gripped her by the neck, brake the bone-rings; the sword went clean through her fated body, and she fell to the ground.

Beowulf's Honor

Then, in reward for his victory, the son of Healfdene gave to Beowulf a golden standard, a broidered war-banner, a helmet and burnie; a mighty treasure-sword full many saw borne before the warrior...Then the safeguard of earls bade eight steeds, their bridles heavy with gold, be led indoors on the floor of the hall; on one of them rested a saddle, fashioned with cunning art and well-dight with treasure, that had been the battle-seat of the high king when the son of Healfdene had will to wage the wordplay; never at the front failed the far-famed one's battle-might, when the slain were falling. And then the prince of the Ingwines gave Beowulf the right over both of these, the steeds and the weapons, bade him have good joy of them.

Then the golden hilt, the work of giants long ago, was given into the hand of the old prince, the white-haired battle-leader. After the overthrow of the devilish ones, it fell, the work of marvellous smiths, into the keeping of the Danes lord; when the grim-hearted one, God's foe, with murder upon him, gave up the world, and his mother also, it fell in this wise into the keeping of the best of world-kings, between the seas, of those that in Scedenig parted gifts of gold.