| |
| A PERILOUS path, it proved, he 1 trod | |
| who heinously hid, that hall within, | |
| wealth under wall! Its watcher had killed | |
| one of a few, 2 and the feud was avenged | |
| in woful fashion. Wondrous seems it, | 5 |
| what manner a man of might and valor | |
| oft ends his life, when the earl no longer | |
| in mead-hall may live with loving friends. | |
| So Beowulf, when that barrow’s warden | |
| he sought, and the struggle; himself knew not | 10 |
| in what wise he should wend from the world at last. | |
| For 3 princes potent, who placed the gold, | |
| with a curse to doomsday covered it deep, | |
| so that marked with sin the man should be, | |
| hedged with horrors, in hell-bonds fast, | 15 |
| racked with plagues, who should rob their hoard. | |
| Yet no greed for gold, but the grace of heaven, | |
| ever the king had kept in view. 4 | |
| Wiglaf spake, the son of Weohstan:— | |
| “At the mandate of one, oft warriors many | 20 |
| sorrow must suffer; and so must we. | |
| The people’-shepherd showed not aught | |
| of care for our counsel, king belovèd! | |
| That guardian of gold he should grapple not, urged we, | |
| but let him lie where he long had been | 25 |
| in his earth-hall waiting the end of the world, | |
| the hest of heaven.—This hoard is ours, | |
| but grievously gotten; too grim the fate | |
| which thither carried our king and lord. | |
| I was within there, and all I viewed, | 30 |
| the chambered treasure, when chance allowed me | |
| (and my path was made in no pleasant wise) | |
| under the earth-wall. Eager, I seized | |
| such heap from the hoard as hands could bear | |
| and hurriedly carried it hither back | 35 |
| to my liege and lord. Alive was he still, | |
| still wielding his wits. The wise old man | |
| spake much in his sorrow, and sent you greetings | |
| and bade that ye build, when he breathed no more, | |
| on the place of his balefire a barrow high, | 40 |
| memorial mighty. Of men was he | |
| worthiest warrior wide earth o’er | |
| the while he had joy of his jewels and burg. | |
| Let us set out in haste now, the second time | |
| to see and search this store of treasure, | 45 |
| these wall-hid wonders,—the way I show you,— | |
| where, gathered near, ye may gaze your fill | |
| at broad-gold and rings. Let the bier, soon made, | |
| be all in order when out we come, | |
| our king and captain to carry thither | 50 |
| —man beloved—where long he shall bide | |
| safe in the shelter of sovran God.” | |
| Then the bairn of Weohstan bade command, | |
| hardy chief, to heroes many | |
| that owned their homesteads, hither to bring | 55 |
| firewood from far—o’er the folk they ruled— | |
| for the famed-one’s funeral. “Fire shall devour | |
| and wan flames feed on the fearless warrior | |
| who oft stood stout in the iron-shower, | |
| when, sped from the string, a storm of arrows | 60 |
| shot o’er the shield-wall: the shaft held firm, | |
| featly feathered, followed the barb.” | |
| And now the sage young son of Weohstan | |
| seven chose of the chieftain’s thanes, | |
| the best he found that band within, | 65 |
| and went with these warriors, one of eight, | |
| under hostile roof. In hand one bore | |
| a lighted torch and led the way. | |
| No lots they cast for keeping the hoard | |
| when once the warriors saw it in hall, | 70 |
| altogether without a guardian, | |
| lying there lost. And little they mourned | |
| when they had hastily haled it out, | |
| dear-bought treasure! The dragon they cast, | |
| the worm, o’er the wall for the wave to take, | 75 |
| and surges swallowed that shepherd of gems. | |
| Then the woven gold on a wain was laden— | |
| countless quite!—and the king was borne, | |
| hoary hero, to Hronës-Ness. | |
