ted his
horse and rode to meet them, bearing in his hand his staff of office;
and he questioned them closely as to whence they came and what their
business was.

Then Beowulf explained their errand, and the warder, when he had heard
it, bade them pass onwards, bearing their weapons, and gave orders
that their ship should be safely guarded.

Soon they came within sight of the fair palace Heorot, and the warder
showed them the way to Hrothgar's court, and then bade them farewell,
and returned to keep watch upon the coast.

Then the bold thanes marched forward to Heorot, their armor and their
weapons glittering as they went. Entering the hall, they set their
shields and bucklers against the walls, placed their spears upright in
a sheaf together, and sat down on the benches, weary with their
seafaring.

Then a proud liegeman of Hrothgar's stepped forward and asked:

"Whence bring ye your shields, your gray war-shirts and frowning
helmets, and this sheaf of spears? Never saw I men of more valiant
aspect."

"We are Higelac's boon companions," answered Beowulf. "Beowulf is my
name, and I desire to declare my errand to the great prince, thy lord,
if he will grant us leave to approach him."

So Wulfgar, another of Hrothgar's chieftains, went out to the king
where he sat with the assembly of his earls and told him of the
arrival of the strangers, and Hrothgar received the news with joy, for
he had known Beowulf when he was a boy, and had heard of his fame as a
warrior. Therefore he bade Wulfgar bring him to his presence, and soon
Beowulf stood before him and cried:

"Hail to thee, Hrothgar! I have heard the tale of Grendel, and my
people, who know my strength and prowess, have counseled me to seek
thee out. For I have wrought great deeds in the past, and now I shall
do battle against this monster. Men say that so thick is his tawny
hide that no weapon can injure him. I therefore disdain to carry sword
or shield into the combat, but will fight with the strength of my arm
only, and either I will conquer the fiend or he will bear away my dead
body to the moor. Send to Higelac, if I fall in the fight, my
beautiful breastplate. I have no fear of death, for Destiny must ever
be obeyed."

Then Hrothgar told Beowulf of the great sorrow caused to him by
Grendel's terrible deeds, and of the failure of all the attempts that
had been made by the warriors to overcome him; and afterwards he bade
him sit down with his followers to