. Siegfried, the hero of the North, and Beowulf, the hero of the Anglo-Saxons . re numbwith horror at the unearthly shrieks anddismal howlings of the God-forsakenfiend. Many an earl of Beowulfs un-sheathed and plunged into the fight; theyknew not that they could not help theirleader, much as they desired it, for thatno choicest blade on earth could touchthat destroyer, because he had securedhimself by spells and incantations againstweapons of all kinds. But he was notproof against human heroic might, andfrom that he now got his death-wound, o as Beowulf, with a desperate grip and tug,wrenched
. Siegfried, the hero of the North, and Beowulf, the hero of the Anglo-Saxons . re numbwith horror at the unearthly shrieks anddismal howlings of the God-forsakenfiend. Many an earl of Beowulfs un-sheathed and plunged into the fight; theyknew not that they could not help theirleader, much as they desired it, for thatno choicest blade on earth could touchthat destroyer, because he had securedhimself by spells and incantations againstweapons of all kinds. But he was notproof against human heroic might, andfrom that he now got his death-wound, o as Beowulf, with a desperate grip and tug,wrenched his arm off from the a terrific yell, which told the listen-ing Danes that the dire struggle wasended, and victory won by their champ-ion, Grendel fled to the coverts of the 248 Beowulf fen : well he knew that the number ofhis days was full. Thus was the valiant champions pledgeredeemed ; thus was Heorot purged. Theleader of the Goths had made good hisvaunt, and, in token thereof, he hung upGrendels hand, arm, and shoulder—grimtrophy !--under the gabled IX REJOICINGS AND THANKSGIVINGS ARLY in the morning there was a greatgathering about the hall. Chieftainscame from far and near, to hear the mar-vellous tale, to gaze at the loathsome pro-digy. Then they took up the vanquishedmonsters bloody trail, and followed it tothe Nicors Mere, whither, death-doomedand fugitive, he had betaken himself to o die. There was the face of the lake surg-ing with blood, the gruesome plash ofwaves all turbid with reeking gore. Therehe had yielded up his heathen soul, therepale-faced Hela, the dread queen andguardian of the heathen dead, received surveying the uncanny spot, theyrode home from the Mere in high glee, asfrom a pleasure-trip. Now and then one 250 Beowulf and the other loosened their nags for agallop, to run a match where the turflooked smooth and inviting. Then againa thane of the Kings, his mind full ofballads, stored with old-world tales, beganto compose
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