“The hall held great heroes and hard luck for Grendel.”
He Came in His Envy
“Under mist, in the murk, till the mead-hall he spied,
He came in his cruelty—the hall crafted in gold.”
His Punishment His Sin
“Out of the marsh, by misty crags, the marauder crept.
Grendel, under God’s wrath, came greedy for blood.”
God’s War Loom
”But conquest and comfort were coming to them—
God’s war-loom was weaving to the Weders this victory.”
Deep Darkness
“And the darkness, deep darkness, brought the demon to haunt them,
And shadowy shapes came slinking around.”
Regal Service
“The Helmings’ high queen in the hall walked regally,
Carrying the cup, that queen was their servant,
Offering up mead to all elders and youths.”
The Wisdom of Wealhtheow
“Then Wealhtheow entered,
Hrothgar’s high queen, heeding all courtesies,
Greeting these guests, gold-arrayed and lovely,
That high-hearted lady handed the first cup,
To the conquering Dane-king, the cup filled to the rim.”
God Only Knows
“Near death, desolate, on the deep I floated,
How I came unharmed from that hostile brood,
How I lived to see light the Lord only knows.”
So Stand
“Then I saw sea-cliffs, the shore of the headlands,
Those windswept walls. Wyrd often delivers
The doughty and daring if dauntless he stands.”
Covered Courage
“A woven war-short, worked with gold,
Covered my courage, encasing my heart.
A sea-dragon dragged me down to the deep bottom,
Pinned and pinioned, my point finally reached him . . .
My battle blade served me, I bested them all.
My sword-feast, their sorrow, the suffered my blows,
Dark things from the deep who would devour me happily.”