XVIII. THE GLEEMAN'S TALE IS ENDED.

"Gewiton him þâ wîgend wîca neósian,

"freóndum befeallen Frysland geseón,

"hâmas and heá-burh. Hengest þâ gyt

"wäl-fâgne winter wunode mid Finne

"ealles unhlitme; eard gemunde,

"þeáh þe he ne meahte on mere drîfan

"hringed-stefnan; holm storme weól,

"won wið winde; winter ýðe beleác

"îs-gebinde ôð þät ôðer com

"geâr in geardas, swâ nu gyt dêð,

"þâ þe syngales sêle bewitiað,

"wuldor-torhtan weder. Þâ wäs winter scacen,

"fäger foldan bearm; fundode wrecca,

"gist of geardum; he tô gyrn-wräce

"swîðor þôhte, þonne tô sæ-lâde,

"gif he torn-gemôt þurhteón mihte,

"þät he Eotena bearn inne gemunde.

"Swâ he ne forwyrnde worold-rædenne,

"þonne him Hûnlâfing hilde-leóman,

"billa sêlest, on bearm dyde:

"þäs wæron mid Eotenum ecge cûðe.

"Swylce ferhð-frecan Fin eft begeat

"sweord-bealo slîðen ät his selfes hâm,

"siððan grimne gripe Gûðlaf ond Ôslâf

"äfter sæ-siðe sorge mændon,

"ätwiton weána dæl; ne meahte wäfre môd

"forhabban in hreðre. Þâ wäs heal hroden

"feónda feorum, swilce Fin slägen,

"cyning on corðre, and seó cwên numen.

"Sceótend Scyldinga tô scypum feredon

"eal in-gesteald eorð-cyninges,

"swylce hie ät Finnes hâm findan meahton

"sigla searo-gimma. Hie on sæ-lâde

"drihtlîce wîf tô Denum feredon,

"læddon tô leódum." Leóð wäs âsungen,

gleó-mannes gyd. Gamen eft âstâh,

beorhtode benc-swêg, byrelas sealdon

wîn of wunder-fatum. Þâ cwom Wealhþeó forð

gân under gyldnum beáge, þær þâ gôdan twegen

sæton suhter-gefäderan; þâ gyt wäs hiera sib ätgädere

æghwylc ôðrum trýwe. Swylce þær Ûnferð þyle

ät fôtum sät freán Scyldinga: gehwylc hiora his ferhðe treówde,

þät he häfde môd micel, þeáh þe he his mâgum nære

ârfäst ät ecga gelâcum. Spräc þâ ides Scyldinga:

"Onfôh þissum fulle, freó-drihten mîn,

"sinces brytta; þu on sælum wes,

"gold-wine gumena, and tô Geátum sprec

"mildum wordum! Swâ sceal man dôn.

"Beó wið Geátas gläd, geofena gemyndig;

"neán and feorran þu nu friðu hafast.

"Me man sägde, þät þu þe for sunu wolde

"here-rinc habban. Heorot is gefælsod,

"beáh-sele beorhta; brûc þenden þu môte

"manigra mêda and þînum mâgum læf

"folc and rîce, þonne þu forð scyle

"metod-sceaft seón. Ic mînne can

"glädne Hrôðulf, þät he þâ geogoðe wile

"ârum healdan, gyf þu ær þonne he,

"wine Scildinga, worold oflætest;

"wêne ic, þät he mid gôde gyldan wille

"uncran eaferan, gif he þät eal gemon,

"hwät wit tô willan and tô worð-myndum

"umbor wesendum ær ârna gefremedon."

Hwearf þâ bî bence, þær hyre byre wæron,

Hrêðrîc and Hrôðmund, and häleða bearn,

giogoð ätgädere; þær se gôda sät

Beówulf Geáta be þæm gebrôðrum twæm.