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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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37 deep, where the death-doomed then Laid forlorn his body down, his heathen soul, in fenThere did Hell receive him! Home on horse anew Rode the old companions, many a younger too, Back from merry journey, bold men back from mere, Warriors on the white steeds. Then was sounded clear Beowulf’s deed of daring: all said it o’er and o’er, That south or north none other, from shore to farthest shore, Betwixt the seas none other, beneath the sky’s domain, Was better man to bear shield or worthier to reign. (Nor they by this belied not their Friend in anything, Hrothgar, their gracious Lord-but that was goodly King!) Whiles these doughty warsmen let leap their fallow bays, Let run a race where fairest seemed the country-ways; Whiles a thane of Hrothgar,- a man of boasts was he, Stored with olden sagas, and deft at balladry, Found one good word for other and bound them soothfully; So too this scop made mention right well of Beowulf’s quest, And had good speed at speaking his phrases artfullest, Linking words together. He told an unknown story All he’d heard of Sigemund, of his deeds of glory: The warring of the Waelsing, his wanderings so wide, The feuds and the betrayals, whereof no men beside Wist aught but only Fitela-when he to him would tell, The uncle to the nephew, somewhat of what befell; For ever stood they comrades in need against the foe, And countless of the ettin-kin they had with sword laid low. After his death, for Sigemund upsprang a fame not least When he, that hardy warsman, had quelled that Serpent-Beast, That Guardian of the gold-hoard. Under the hoary stone Dared he, the son of aetheling, that bold deed alone For Fitela was with him not. Yet luck to him was given, That this wondrous dragon so by sword was riven That the lordly steel with point the cavern wall did pierce. The drake he died a slaughter-death. And Sigemund, the fierce, Had gained by prowess power to use at will the hoard; A sea-boat he loaded; the rings he bare aboard; He bare to the ship’s bosom, this man whom Waels begot, That gold-gleaming treasure.- But Dragon melted hot! Chief was he of outlaws, through tribes anear and far, For the deeds of daring, this warriors’ Bulwark-Bar (And so erewhile he prospered)- yes, chief since waned away The battle-strength of Heremod, his force and fame in fray. For Heremod was lured forth, when mid the Jutes was he, Into the power of foemen, and sent off speedily. |
