ame prowling from his home on the
moors under the misty slopes. Full of his evil purpose, he burst with
fury into the hall and strode forward raging, a hideous, fiery light
gleaming from his eyes. In the hall lay the warriors asleep, and Grendel
laughed in his heart as he gazed at them, thinking to feast upon them
all. Quickly he seized a sleeping warrior and devoured him; then,
stepping forward, he reached out his hand towards Beowulf as he lay at
rest.

But the hero was ready for him, and seized his arm in a deadly grip such
as Grendel had never felt before. Terror arose in the monster's heart,
and his mind was bent on flight; but he could not get away.

Then Beowulf stood upright and grappled with him firmly, and the two
rocked to and fro in the struggle, knocking over benches and shaking the
hall with the violence of their fight. Suddenly a new and terrible cry
arose, the cry of Grendel in fear and pain, for never once did Beowulf
relax his hold upon him. Then many of Beowulf's earls drew their swords
and rushed to aid their master; but no blade could pierce him and
nothing but Beowulf's mighty strength could prevail.

At last the monster's arm was torn off at the shoulder, and sick unto
death, he fled to the fens, there to end his joyless life. Then Beowulf
rejoiced at his night's work, wherein he had freed Heorot forever from
the fiend's ravages.

Now on the morrow the warriors flocked to the hall; and when they heard
what had taken place, they went out and followed Grendel's tracks to a
mere upon the moors, into which he had plunged and given up his life.
Then, sure of his death, they returned rejoicing to Heorot, talking of
Beowulf's glorious deed; and there they found the king and queen and a
great company of people awaiting them.

And now there was great rejoicing and happiness. Fair and gracious were
the thanks that Hrothgar gave to Beowulf, and great was the feast
prepared in Heorot. Cloths embroidered with gold were hung along the
walls and the hall was decked in every possible way.

When all were seated at the feast, Hrothgar bade the attendants bring
forth his gifts to Beowulf as a reward of victory. He gave him an
embroidered banner, a helmet and breastplate, and a valuable sword, all
adorned with gold and richly ornamented. Also he gave orders to the
servants to bring into the court eight horses, on one of which was a
curiously adorned and very precious saddle, which the king was wont to
use hims