The Tale of Beowulf | Page 5

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 mightiest?In the day that we tell of, the day of this life,?All noble, strong-waxen. He bade a wave-wearer?Right good to be gear'd him, and quoth he that the war-king Over the swan-road he would be seeking, 200 The folk-lord far-famed, since lack of men had he.?Forsooth of that faring the carles wiser-fashion'd?Laid 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 keenest?Might find for his needs; and he then the fifteenth,?Sought 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, 210 The boat under the berg, and yare then the warriors?Strode up on the stem; the streams were a-winding?The sea 'gainst the sands. Upbore the swains then?Up 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-holm?Far'd the foamy-neck'd floater most like to a fowl,?Till when was the same tide of the second day's wearing?The wound-about-stemm'd one had waded her way, 220 So that then they that sail'd her had sight of the land,?Bleak shine of the sea-cliffs, bergs steep up above,?Sea-nesses wide reaching; the sound was won over,?The sea-way was ended: then up ashore swiftly?The 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 thanked?For that easy the wave-ways were waxen unto them.?But now from the wall saw the Scylding-folks' warder,?E'en he whom the holm-cliffs should ever be holding, 230 Men bear o'er the gangway the bright shields a-shining,?Folk-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-quaking The 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-builded?Over the Lake-street thus have come leading.?Hither o'er holm-ways hieing in ring-stem? 240 End-sitter was I, a-holding the sea-ward,?That the land of the Dane-folk none of the loathly?Faring with ship-horde ever might scathe it.?None yet have been seeking more openly hither?Of shield-havers than ye, and ye of the leave-word?Of the framers of war naught at all wotting,?Or the manners of kinsmen. But no man of earls greater?Saw 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, 250 The sight seen once only. Now I must be wotting?The spring of your kindred ere further ye cast ye,?And let loose your false spies in the Dane-land a-faring?Yet further afield. So now, ye far-dwellers,?Ye wenders o'er sea-flood, this word do ye hearken?Of my one-folded thought: and haste is the handiest?To do me to wit of whence is your coming.
V. HERE BEOWULF MAKES ANSWER TO THE LAND-WARDEN,?WHO SHOWETH HIM THE WAY TO THE KING'S ABODE.
He then that was chiefest in thus wise he answer'd,?The war-fellows' leader unlock'd he the word-hoard:?We be a people of the Weder-Geats' man-kin 260 And of Hygelac be we the hearth-fellows soothly.?My father before me of folks was well-famed?Van-leader and atheling, Ecgtheow he hight.?Many winters abode he, and on the way wended?An old man from the garths, and him well remembers?Every wise man well nigh wide yond o'er the earth.?Through our lief mood and friendly the lord that is thine, Even Healfdene's son, are we now come a-seeking,?Thy warder of folk. Learn us well with thy leading,?For we have to the mighty an errand full mickle, 270 To the lord of the Dane-folk: naught dark shall it be,?That ween I full surely. If it be so thou wottest,?As soothly for our parts we now have heard say,?That one midst of the Scyldings, who of scathers I wot not, A deed-hater secret, in the dark of the night-tide?Setteth forth through the terror the malice untold of,?The shame-wrong and slaughter. I therefore to Hrothgar?Through my mind fashion'd roomsome the rede may now learn him, How he, old-wise and good, may get the fiend under,?If once more from him awayward may turn 280 The business of bales, and the boot come again,?And the weltering of care wax cooler once more;?Or for ever sithence time of stress he shall thole,?The need and the wronging, the while yet there abideth?On the high stead aloft the best of all houses.?Then spake out the warden on steed there a-sitting,?The servant all un-fear'd: It shall be