. The creature she
had borne had come home to die, and to her belonged his avenging.
Softly she went to Hereot. Softly she opened the unguarded door.
Gladly, in her savage jaws, she seized Aschere, the thane who was to
Hrothgar most dear, and from the roof she plucked her desired
treasure--the arm of Grendel, her son. Then she trotted off to her
far-off, filthy den, leaving behind her the noise of lamentation.

Terrible was the grief of Hrothgar over the death of Aschere, dearest
of friends and sharer of his councils. And to his lamentations Beowulf
listened, sad at heart, humble, yet with a heart that burned for
vengeance. The hideous creature of the night was the mother of
Grendel, as all knew well. On her Beowulf would be avenged, for
Aschere's sake, for the king's, and for the sake of his own honour.
Then once again did he pledge himself to do all that man's strength
could do to rid the land of an evil thing. Well did he know how
dangerous was the task before him, and he gave directions for the
disposal of all that he valued should he never return from his quest.
To the King, who feared greatly that he was going forth on a forlorn
hope, he said:

"Grieve not!... Each man must undergo death at the end of life.
Let him win, while he may, warlike fame in the world!
That is best after death for the slain warrior."

His own men, and Hrothgar, and a great company of Danes went with him
when he set out to trace the blood-stained tracks of the Grendel's
mother. Near the edge of a gloomy mere they found the head of Aschere.
And when they looked at the fiord itself, it seemed to be
blood-stained--stained with blood that ever welled upwards, and in
which revelled with a fierce sort of joy--the rapture of bestial
cruelty--water-monsters without number.

Beowulf, his face white and grim like that of an image of Thor cast in
silver, watched a little while, then drew his bow and drove a bolt
into the heart of one of them, and when they had drawn the slain
carcase to shore, the thanes of Hrothgar marvelled at the horror of
it.

Then Beowulf took leave of Hrothgar and told him that if in two days
he did not return, certain it would be that he would return no more.
The hearts of all who said farewell to him were heavy, but Beowulf
laughed, and bade them be of good cheer. Then into the black waters he
dived, sword in hand, clad in ring-armour, and the dark pool closed
over him as the river of Death closes over the h