treat. But, knowing the perils he is facing, he makes his
arrangements in case he should never return, before following the
bloody traces left by the monsters. Then he hastens to the pool, where
he finds Aeschere's head set aloft as a trophy! Gazing down into the
depths, Beowulf now perceives the waters are darkly tinged with the
monster's blood, but nevertheless plunges boldly into their depths,
where he swims about a whole day seeking Grendel's retreat. Guided at
last by a phosphorescent gleam, our hero finally reaches a cave, after
slaying on the way a number of monsters sent to check his advance. On
nearing the giants' den, a strong eddy suddenly sweeps him within
reach of Grendel's mother, who, clutching him fast, flings him on the
floor, and is trying to find a joint in his armor, so as to kill him
with her knife, when Beowulf, snatching a sword hanging from a rocky
projection, deals her so fierce a blow that he severs her head from
its trunk.

Then he saw amid the war-gems a weapon of victory,
An ancient giant-sword, of edges a-doughty,
Glory of warriors: of weapons 'twas choicest,
Only 'twas larger than any man else was
Able to bear in the battle-encounter,
The good and splendid work of the giants.
He grasped then the sword-hilt, knight of Seyldings,
Bold and battle-grim, brandished his ring-sword,
Hopeless of living hotly he smote her,
That the fiend-woman's neck firmly it grappled,
Broke through her bone-joints, the bill fully pierced her
Fate-cursed body, she fell to the ground then:
The hand sword was bloody, the hero exulted.
The brand was brilliant, brightly it glimmered,
Just as from heaven gem-like shineth
The torch of the firmament.

The blood from this monster, pouring out of the cave, mingles with the
waters without, which begin to seethe and bubble in so ominous a way
that Hrothgar and his men, exclaiming Beowulf is dead, sadly depart.
The hero's attendants, however, mindful of orders received, linger at
the side of the mere, although they cherish small hope of ever
beholding their master again.

Having disposed of Grendel's mother, Beowulf rushes to the rear of the
cave, where, finding Grendel dead, he cuts off his head, and with this
trophy makes his way up through the tainted waters, which melt his
sword, so that he has nothing but the hilt left on reaching the shore.

The sword-blade began then,
The blood having touched it, contracting