. Thence he sends a messenger to the barriers of the town, who
comes to the host, and tells them of the death of Beowulf. He tells
withal of the old feud betwixt the Geats and the Swedes, and how these,
when they hear of the death of the king, will be upon them. The warriors
go to look on Beowulf, and find him and the Worm lying dead together.
Wiglaf chooses out seven of them to go void the treasure-house, after
having bidden them gather wood for the bale-fire. They shove the Worm
over the cliff into the sea, and bear off the treasure in wains. Then
they bring Beowulf's corpse to bale, and they kindle it; a woman called
the wife of aforetime, it may be Hygd, widow of Hygelac, bemoans him:
and twelve children of the athelings ride round the bale, and bemoan
Beowulf and praise him: and thus ends the poem.

THE STORY OF BEOWULF

I. AND FIRST OF THE KINDRED OF HROTHGAR.

What! we of the Spear-Danes of yore days, so was it
That we learn'd of the fair fame of kings of the folks
And the athelings a-faring in framing of valour.
Oft then Scyld the Sheaf-son from the hosts of the scathers,
From kindreds a many the mead-settles tore;
It was then the earl fear'd them, sithence was he first
Found bare and all-lacking; so solace he bided,
Wax'd under the welkin in worship to thrive,
Until it was so that the round-about sitters
All over the whale-road must hearken his will 10
And yield him the tribute. A good king was that,
By whom then thereafter a son was begotten,
A youngling in garth, whom the great God sent thither
To foster the folk; and their crime-need he felt
The load that lay on them while lordless they lived
For a long while and long. He therefore, the Life-lord,
The Wielder of glory, world's worship he gave him:
Brim Beowulf waxed, and wide the weal upsprang
Of the offspring of Scyld in the parts of the Scede-lands.
Such wise shall a youngling with wealth be a-working 20
With goodly fee-gifts toward the friends of his father,
That after in eld-days shall ever bide with him,
Fair fellows well-willing when wendeth the war-tide,
Their lief lord a-serving. By praise-deeds it shall be
That in each and all kindreds a man shall have thriving.
Then went his ways Scyld when the shapen while was,
All hardy to wend him to the lord and his warding:
Out then did they bear him to the side of the sea-flood,
The dear fell