him: Grendel feels himself over-mastered and makes for the door, and
gets out, but leaves his hand and arm behind him with Beowulf: men on
the wall hear the great noise of this battle and the wailing of Grendel.
In the morning the Danes rejoice, and follow the bloody slot of Grendel,
and return to Hart racing and telling old tales, as of Sigemund and the
Worm. Then come the king and his thanes to look on the token of victory,
Grendel's hand and arm, which Beowulf has let fasten: to the hall-gable.

The king praises Beowulf and rewards him, and they feast in Hart, and
the tale of Finn and Hengest is told. Then Hrothgar leaves Hart, and so
does Beowulf also with his Geats, but the Danes keep guard there.

In the night comes in Grendel's Mother, and catches up Aeschere, a thane
of Hrothgar, and carries him off to her lair. In the morning is Beowulf
fetched to Hrothgar, who tells him of this new grief and craves his
help.

Then they follow up the slot and come to a great water-side, and find
thereby Aeschere's head, and the place is known for the lair of those
two: monsters are playing in the deep, and Beowulf shoots one of them to
death. Then Beowulf dights him and leaps into the water, and is a day's
while reaching the bottom. There he is straightway caught hold of by
Grendel's Mother, who bears him into her hall. When he gets free he
falls on her, but the edge of the sword Hrunting (lent to him by
Unferth) fails him, and she casts him to the ground and draws her sax to
slay him; but he rises up, and sees an old sword of the giants hanging
on the wall; he takes it and smites off her head therewith. He sees
Grendel lying dead, and his head also he strikes off; but the blade of
the sword is molten in his venomous blood. Then Beowulf strikes upward,
taking with him the head of Grendel and the hilts of the sword. When he
comes to the shore he finds his Geats there alone; for the Danes fled
when they saw the blood floating in the water.

They go up to Hrothgar's stead, and four men must needs bear the head.
They come to Hrothgar, and Beowulf gives him the hilts and tells him
what he has done. Much praise is given to Beowulf; and they feast
together.

On the morrow Beowulf bids farewell to Hrothgar, more gifts are given,
and messages are sent to Hygelac: Beowulf departs with the full love of
Hrothgar. The Geats come to their ship and reward the ship-warder, and
put off and sail to their own land. Beowulf comes to Hygelac's