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

ter TO lllSDl- 81 iduS1tt1 WIS HedIu again
and songs filled the hall. No one appeared
to remember what was to take place there
that night. though the thought of it was
uppermost in every heart. And now
Queen wealtheow, Hrothgar's royal con-
sort entered the hall, Respondent in
ermine and cloth of gold to welcome the
champion of her husband with gracious
mead. She went around the hall with a
fair and jeweled beaker in her hand,
which she presented in turn to each OF
the assembled mobiles. who touched his
lips to 1t and gave it back.
When she came to where Beowulf was
sitting among the younger ethlings she
spoke to him in courteous words. thank
ing God that He had sent champion to
avenge the woes of the Danes Beowulf
arose and taking the proffered beaker, de-
clared upon his honor and his faith as an
earl that that night he would overcome
Grendel or perish in the attempt. Then
he drained the cup to the bottom and
handed it back to the Queen, who inclined
her diademed head and passed on to
where the king was seated on his throne.
She offered to him the rehled beaker
and then wished the mobiles blithe ban
quet and the king happiness in his liege-
mems love. Speaking thus with trailing
robes the queen passed from the hall.
Now daylight began to wane. The thames
noticed it and the song died away upon
the jewelers. lips. The king gave the
signal to retire and turning to Beowult
said: Never before since l lifted shield
have 1 trusted the guard house of the
Danes to any man-never, but noT to
thee. Be watchful and valiant and may
victory wait upon thee" In silence the
Danes left the hall and silently Beowulf
looked after them. Night came on. The
Goths lay down upon the floor with their
arms by their sides and slumbered. All
except Beowulf. He alone was awake and
watchful. Soon he heard the sound OF
heavy footsteps and Grendel came from
the moor. When the monster stood in the
doorway and saw the sleeping men he
laughed aloud. Beowulf watched from be-
meath his eyelids to see what the demon
would do. He did not have to wait long.
Grendel seized one of the sleeping Cloths
in his great hands, tore him TO pieces,
crunched his bones and drank his blood.
Then he reached out to seize Beowulf.
AT once the young hero sprang upon
him. Grendel felt grip such as never
before had he felt from any man In the
world-a strength greater even than his
own. In terror he strove to wrench him
self loose, but Beowulf closed with him,
and a mighty combat ensued, the monster
and the hero fighting with their naked
hands and unprotected sinewy arms. The
noise of the combat awoke the others.
The hall resounded with the wrestling,
and il is a wonder that. as they now and
then crashed in their struggling against
the Sides the walls were not thrown down.
Over at the castle the king and his mobiles
heard the noise of the combat and fear
and anxiety fell upon them. But the VIC
tory was with Beowulf. Exerting all his
strength on sudden he wrenched one
of the great arms of the demon from its
socket-tore 1t completely from his body.
The monster, shrieking with pain. turned
and fed into the night, and they could
hear the noise Of his bowling diminishing
in the distance as he crossed the moor to
his den. 1t was Grendel's death wound.
Thus did BeowuIf purge Heorot, and as
a trophy-grim and forbidding-he hung
up the severed arm of Grendel under the
gable of the roof Now was all happiness
in the land of the Danes, and Hrothgar
and his thames held high festival once
more in Heorot. From far and near chief
tains came to feast with the king and to
gaze upon the great arm hung beneath
the gable. Mighty was the feasting in
Heorot that day, and Beowulf was the
hero of it. All voices praised him, and
the king gave him gold embossed armor
a great battle sword and many fine pieces
of warlike gear as well as his thanks
and the thanks of his people.
But the next morning there was aga,
woe and mourning In the land of tEe
Danes. The jewellers had, most of them
slept where they had fallen on the foo
of Heorot and in the night had come tt
the hall >Grenders mother, n half-humar
creature, a loGtsome bag, a meere-wife
who dwelt in a house at the bottom of /
dark and noisome tarn in the midst of TIM
fen She rushed into the hall and seize,
one Of the sleeping thames. The other:
we're awakened and swords were drawn
but the old bag ran off with her victim
to her den and none could follow her ii
the light, so swift of foot was she. Beo
wulf was a guest of the king at tho
castle, and when the doleful news was
Ll ought him he sought Hrothgar and de-
cIared to him that he would complet
the work he had begun. The foul witch
wife would he slay as he had slai.
Grendel. Even Unferth, the env!ous. wa,
struck by the noble words of The cham
pion and gave to him his own sword. 6
celebrated blade named Huntington al
the swords of super-excellence in those
days had names. This Hunting had be
legged to Unferth's ancestors and hat
never been known to fail of it's stroke
In return Beowulf gave to Unferth hi
sword, Hardege. Then with the Goths
he sought the noisome lake in the fen.
1t was lake of black water and In /
aquatic monsters rolled about and gam
boled. With his armor on and Hunting
in his hand, Beowulf leaped from the elf
into the waters. The foul witch who hat
the night before brought death to Heo
rot felt that some human being was In
va6Ang her domain and left her home be
low the waves to combat with him. Sh'
seized him with her strong hands. and il
spite of struggles carried him to hel
-