BEOWULF, GBENDEL AND HIS MOTHER 37 



be said by seafaring men that this fearless warrior had 

 in his grip the strength of thirty men.' When Beowulf 

 came before Hrothgar, he told him, what the King 

 already knew, that often before he had encountered sea- 

 monsters, destroyed the Jotun tribe and slain night 

 Nixes ; and that hitherto all his deeds of prowess had been 

 successful. ' I hear,' he said, ' that Grendel, from the 

 thickness of his hide, cares not for weapons ; I therefore 

 disdain to carry sword or shield into the combat, but with 

 hand-grips will I lay hold on the foe, and fight for life, 

 man to man.' Beowulf ended by asking that his ' gar- 

 ments of battle ' might be sent back to his lord and kins- 

 man Hygelac, if Grendel proved victorious in the fight. 

 The King relied with steadfast faith upon his guest ; there 

 was now joy in the Palace of Heorot, and Queen Wal- 

 theow herself, golden-wreathed, came forth to greet the 

 men in the hall ; to each she gave a costly cup — to 

 each his several share — ' until it befell that she, the neck- 

 laced Queen, gentle in manners and mind, bare the 

 mead-cup to Beowulf,' and thanked God that she might 

 find any to trust to for relief in her troubles. They all 

 retired to rest ; but not one of Beowulf's comrades 

 thought that they would escape alive, or get them thence 

 in safety to their well-loved homes. 



That night from the moor, under the misty slopes, 

 came Grendel prowling ; in the gloom he came to the 

 Palace, where the men-at-arms slept, whose duty it 

 was to guard the battlemented hall ; they slept, all 

 save one. With his vast strength the monster burst 

 open the door, and strode forward, his eyes blazing 

 like fire. With a grim smile of delight he saw the 

 sleepers, seized one of them and devoured him all but 

 the feet and hands. Then he reached out at Beowulf, 

 but the warrior clasped the extended hand and firmly 

 grappled with the enemy. A battle royal ensued ; the 

 hall resounded with cries and shrieks, for the Danes were 

 roused from their slumbers. They tried to help Beowulf 



