The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-20

| men they We're once, TO recount lne1e Tie
tales of their adventures-which, you may
lie sure, lost nothing in the telling the
cftener they were told-and to hear thu
MINISTRIES sing of their glory to their
faces. Hrothgar and his senile court just
enjoyed themselves.
The kings dinners became so popular
that he conceived that he needed larger
banquet hall and determined to build one
which should exceed anything OF the sort
ever erected before in the world 80 he
summoned an army of workmen ana I'M
der his supervision the great nall was
finished with marvellous rapidity. From
far and near the people came to watch
its building. to rejoice at its completion
and to wonder at its splendor. High the
great hall lowered aloft in the blue air,
and its roof. covered with gliding, shone
bright in the sun. 1t was named Heorot,
or Hart-hall, because of a cornice or
great antlers which ran the caves OF the
building Within an5 without the nan
was gorgeously decorated with carvings
and gliding and with bright pigments.
Inside we're great oaken tables and
benches, carved and set with the ivory
OF the narwhale and with the teeth
of fierce wild animals. There were great
aagons and cups of silver and gold SET
with gems; the furry skins of many ami
mails taken in the chase, and antlers and
arms and armor were around the walls
At one end was the throne, raised hlgh
above the floor. The opening 1ete OF
Heorot was long remembered. 1t lasted
several days and only ceased when the
guests could eat and drink no more Ana
To all the guests the king gave valuable
rings and costly jewels with lavish
recklessness
To this great hall came the king now
every day from his castle to FEAST WIN
his earls and his thames. and the lofty
roof resounded with jolly drinking songs
with the twanging of harps of the min
strels and with the voices of the skalds
chanting the mighty deeds of those VINO
heard them. Other songs were sung there,
too songs of deep meaning and full o.
gratitude to the An-wise Father who had
bestowed good things, peace and plenty
upon the people Day by day the SOUNDS
of rejoicing came borne on the winds from
ueorot over the neighborhood until they
,xera heard as far as ,loisome fen,
which, surrounding a dark lake, lay ps-
yond the site of the great hail. IN thls
desert place lived Grendel, one of the de-
scendants of Cain the first murderer, as
wise men tell He was hardly half hu-
man. he was of great strength; he was
clothed with charms so that swords and
spears could not hurt him; he was an out
east from humanity and was filled with
hatred and envy of all good men.
IT was torture to Grendel to hear
these sounds of rejoicing borne to him
across the moor on the. wings OF the
: wind every day and he vowed that ne
would change the shouts of gladness
into walls of sorrow, the boasting and
the acclaim into fear and trembling.
one day a bard who was skillful in holy
, songs sang a great and lofty chant
telling of the creation of the world.
He sang of how the Lord reJoiced in
: his work as he created an earth radiant
: with beauty and set the myriad-hued
seas to wash its shores; of how de set
in the heavens the moon and stars
to give light by night and the glory OF
the sun to illumine the days; of how
y He bade the green leaves to grow 1orth
: from the trees and the flowers to bloom
: beside the silvery streams; of how He
breathed life, beauty and happiness
into all things. AS Grendel listened he
was filled with fury Slaughter and
; death should be delayed no longer, he
resolved. That very night would bring
woe and desolation to the hall of
Heorot and to the hearts of Hrothgar
: and his thames.
As soon as night closed down the
monster left his fen and made straight
for Heorot. There had been big
carouse that day and Grendel was pref
ty sure he would have the company at
his mercy. And he was right. When he
stood In the entrance of the hall he
saw them, lying there, that company
of the partakers of the banquet, each
reclining upon rug or skin, each with
his arms at his side. but all fast asleep
from their deep potations and helpless
as women. The king had returned to
his castle, but his thames and earla
slumbered where they lay-in the ban
quet hall.
In their heavy slumber the monster
seized and killed thirty of the thames.
He seized upon their arms and their
armor and fed back to his den with his
spoils, yelling and laughing with I'M
holy glee. In the gray of the morning,
when the surviving thames began to
, arouse themselves and to discover what
Y had happened in the night, there arose
i a great sound of horror and lamentation.
The marks of the bloody work of Gren-
] del were all about and terror and woe
! filed the great hall which had the night
? before resounded to the voices of Joy
( and the songs Of glory The king, COM
4 ing to the desolate banquet hail. sat
5 on his throne in his high place and
: wept and 1amented for his murdered
! thames. But, nevertheless, he bade the
banquet again be prepared and that
1 day there was another carouse. That
thames slept and committed yet greater
: murder than upon his first visit. Again
and again did the monster come at
night from his lair in the fen and seize
his victims. A great terror fell upon
all and the banquet hall of Heorot was
abandoned.
When he had driven the thames from
, Efeorot Grendel began to creep into their
houses at night and slay them there A
A great terror filled the country. People
| left their houses and silent Of riobt IN