[lines 194-224a in section III and 8th line from the bottom of folio 134r to 4th line from the bottom of folio 134v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD]
Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.
{Beowulf hears about Grendel and decides to travel from his home in Geatland (southern Sweden) to Heorot (in northeast Denmark) to see if he can help out.
}
[lines 791-819a in section XII and 8th line from the top of folio 147r to 13th line from the top of folio 147v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD]
Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.
{At this moment Beowulf and Grendel are fighting and Grendel is howling and screaming and wishing to escape but Beowulf has grabbed Grendel's arm and is using his incredible hand-strength to hold on to him.
}
[lines 1537-1569 in sections XXII and XXIII and 5th line from the bottom of folio 163v, through folio 164r to 4th line from the top of folio 164v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD] Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here. Note: there is a discussion of the word eaxle in line 1537a on my page on Shoulder Grabbing vs. Hair Pulling
{At this moment Beowulf has just failed to hurt Grendel's mother with the sword Hrunting and he tries to wrestle her as he had done with Grendel.
}
--- Then the Weather-Geat prince
gripped by the shoulder Grendel's mother;
not in the least was he loath to fight.
The battle-brave warrior, filled with fury,
threw the deadly foe down on the floor.
She repaid him at once with her horrible claws
and clutched at him. Then, weary at heart,
the strongest of warriors, fighters on foot,
stumbled so that he fell to the floor.
Then she sat on the hall-guest and drew her dagger,
broad and bright-edged; eager she was
to avenge her son, her only offspring.
The woven mail-coat covered his shoulder,
resisted the entry of point and edge
and thus saved his life. The son of Ecgtheow,
the Geatish warrior, would have perished
deep under the earth, had not his armor,
his hard coat of mail, rendered him help.
and Holy God then brought about
triumph of war-- in His wisdom the Lord,
the Ruler of Heaven, with ease resolved
the issue aright once he stood up again.
He saw there among armor a conquering sword.
an old giant-forged blade, biting of edge,
the glory of warriors, or weapons the best;
yet it was so large that no other man
could carry it to the combats of war.
Well wrought and adorned was this weapon of giants.
Then the Scyldings' champion, savage and fierce.
seized the linked hilt, drew the ring-patterned sword,
[lines 1584b-1590 in section XXIII and 7th line from the bottom of folio 164v to first half of the last line of folio 164v on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD]
Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.
{At this moment Beowulf has just discovered Grendel's lifeless body lying in the cave.
}
[lines 2672b-2708a in sections XXXVI and XXXVII and 8th line from the bottom of folio 189A197r, through folio 189A197v to 3rd line from the top of folio 189r on Kevin S. Kiernan's Electronic Beowulf CD]
Images of the original manuscript text of this section, and an mp3 file of Ben Slade reading it in Old English, are here.
{At this moment, Wiglaf has just run into the flames to be by Beowulf's side and the dragon has charged at them both, incinerating Wiglaf's shield.
}
Flames flowed in waves, burned his shield to the boss;
his mail-coat could not help the young warrior,
but then quickly the youth took cover
behind the shield of his kinsman after his own
was consumed by the flames. Then the war-king still
had glory in mind; he swung his sword
with such mighty strength that it stuck in the head,
impelled by main force. Nagling broke;
Beowulf's ancient, steel-grey sword
failed in the fight. It was not fated
that its iron edges would aid him in combat.
Too strong was his hand-- I have been told;
it overstrained each sword by its stroke
when he bore to battle a wound-tempered weapon;
thus none of them stood him in good stead.
Then for the third time the foe of the people,
the dread fire-dragon, was keen to fight;
he made a rush at the valiant man
when he saw his chance, clenched, fiery and fierce,
his neck all around with his sharp fangs;
he was bathed in his life-blood; gore gushed in waves.
Then-- I have been told-- in the time of need
of the country's king the warrior with him
displayed his courage, his strength and daring--
as was innate in him. He paid no heed
to the dragon's head, and therefore the hand
of the brave one was burned in aiding his kinsman,
