Chapter XX: Grendel's Mother Attacks the Ring-Danes

Sigon þâ tô slæpe. Sum sâre angeald
æfen-räste, swâ him ful-oft gelamp,
siððan gold-sele Grendel warode,
1255 unriht äfnde, ôð þät ende becwom,
swylt äfter synnum. Þät gesýne wearð,
wîd-cûð werum, þätte wrecend þâ gyt
lifde äfter lâðum, lange þrage
äfter gûð-ceare; Grendles môdor,
1260 ides aglæc-wîf yrmðe gemunde,
se þe wäter-egesan wunian scolde,
cealde streámas, siððan Cain wearð
tô ecg-banan ângan brêðer,
fäderen-mæge; he þâ fâg gewât,
1265 morðre gemearcod man-dreám fleón,
wêsten warode. Þanon wôc fela
geósceaft-gâsta; wäs þæra Grendel sum,
heoro-wearh hetelîc, se ät Heorote fand
wäccendne wer wîges bîdan,
1270 þær him aglæca ät-græpe wearð;
hwäðre he gemunde mägenes strenge,
gim-fäste gife, þe him god sealde,
and him tô anwaldan âre gelýfde,
frôfre and fultum: þý he þone feónd ofercwom,
1275 gehnægde helle gâst: þâ he heán gewât,
dreáme bedæled deáð-wîc seón,
man-cynnes feónd. And his môdor þâ gyt
gîfre and galg-môd gegân wolde
sorh-fulne sîð, suna deáð wrecan.
1280 Com þâ tô Heorote, þær Hring-Dene
geond þät säld swæfun. Þâ þær sôna wearð
ed-hwyrft eorlum, siððan inne fealh
Grendles môdor; wäs se gryre lässa
efne swâ micle, swâ bið mägða cräft,
1285 wîg-gryre wîfes be wæpned-men,
þonne heoru bunden, hamere geþuren,
sweord swâte fâh swîn ofer helme,
ecgum dyhtig andweard scireð.
Þâ wäs on healle heard-ecg togen,
1290 sweord ofer setlum, sîd-rand manig
hafen handa fäst; helm ne gemunde,
byrnan sîde, þe hine se brôga angeat.
Heó wäs on ôfste, wolde ût þanon
feore beorgan, þâ heó onfunden wäs;
1295 hraðe heó äðelinga ânne häfde
fäste befangen, þâ heó tô fenne gang;
se wäs Hrôðgâre häleða leófost
on gesîðes hâd be sæm tweonum,
rîce rand-wîga, þone þe heó on räste âbreát,
1300 blæd-fästne beorn. Näs Beówulf þær,
ac wäs ôðer in ær geteohhod
äfter mâððum-gife mærum Geáte.
Hreám wearð on Heorote. Heó under heolfre genam
cûðe folme; cearu wäs geniwod
1305 geworden in wîcum: ne wäs þät gewrixle til,
þät hie on bâ healfa bicgan scoldon
freónda feorum. Þâ wäs frôd cyning,
hâr hilde-rinc, on hreón môde,
syððan he aldor-þegn unlyfigendne,
1310 þone deórestan deádne wisse.
Hraðe wäs tô bûre Beówulf fetod,
sigor-eádig secg. Samod ær-däge
eode eorla sum, äðele cempa
self mid gesîðum, þær se snottra bâd,
1315 hwäðre him al-walda æfre wille
äfter weá-spelle wyrpe gefremman.
Gang þâ äfter flôre fyrd-wyrðe man
mid his hand-scale (heal-wudu dynede)
þät he þone wîsan wordum hnægde
1320 freán Ingwina; frägn gif him wære
äfter neód-laðu niht getæse.