But swiftly to him gave she back the hand-guerdon

With hand-graspings grim, and griped against him;

Then mood-weary stumbled the strongest of warriors,

The foot-kemp, until that adown there he fell.

Then she sat on the hall-guest and tugg'd out her sax,

The broad and brown-edged, to wreak her her son,

Her offspring her own. But lay yet on his shoulder

The breast-net well braided, the berg of his life,

That 'gainst point and 'gainst edge the entrance withstood.

Gone amiss then forsooth had been Ecgtheow's son