Summary : Prologue The story begins with the story of *Scyld Scefing, a great king who ruled by virtue of his power being greater than all others, and none would challenge him.
This kept the peace, and he was rewarded tribute of gold. The son of *Scyld, *Beow(ulf), continued the rule gifting gold to the worthy and earning respect and loyalty. This fame spread throughout the North-lands and their prosperity grew. And when *Beow died, they adorned him and his ship with treasure and set him off to burial at sea.
Chapter 1 The kingdom was left to *Healfdene who upheld the reputation of the *Scyldings.And born to him were *Heorogar, *Hrothgar, and *Halga. Now *Hrothgar was so renowned in battle and in generosity that a great mead-hall covered with gold, *Heorot, was built in honour of the prosperity of his rule. But a creature heard the reveling, the music, and the happiness of the hall.
The creature from the moor-land was *Grendel, descended from *Cain--one of the giant race who had survived God's flood. Chapter II When night fell, he went to *Heorot, took thirty thanes who were sleeping off the reveling and brought them to his lair. When morning came, the thanes then knew the might of *Grendel. Hrothgar was saddened for this foe was not like any other feud or crime.
The thanes soon made their beds elsewhere for fear of *Grendel's wrath. For twelve years he harassed *Hrothgar; refusing tribute or any agreement for peace. Hiding among the moors, he ambushed old and young relentlessly. The evil one ruled over *Heorot such that *Hrothgar could no longer rule upon his throne for none would approach the hall for fear of the creature. Living in misery, they may have thought to worship at heathen temples; without faith in God, men such as the *Scyldings would suffer without hope.
By http://www. humanities. mcmaster. ca/
