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6
THE TALE OF BEOWULF
High up and horn-gabled. Hot surges it bided
Of fire-flame the loathly, nor long was it thence-forth
Ere sorely the edge-hate 'twixt Son and Wife's Father
After the slaughter-strife there should awaken.
Then the ghost heavy-strong bore with it hardly
E'en for a while of time, bider in darkness,
That there on each day of days heard he the mirth-tide
Loud in the hall-house. There was the harp's voice,
And clear song of shaper. Said he who could it90
To tell the first fashion of men from aforetime;
Quoth how the Almighty One made the Earth's fashion,
The fair field and bright midst the bow of the Waters,
And with victory beglory'd set Sun and Moon,
Bright beams to enlighten the biders on land:
And how he adorned all parts of the earth
With limbs and with leaves; and life withal shaped
For the kindred of each thing that quick on earth wendeth.
So liv'd on all happy the host of the kinsmen
In game and in glee, until one wight began,100
A fiend out of hell-pit, the framing of evil,
And Grendel forsooth the grim guest was hight,
Of fire-flame the loathly, nor long was it thence-forth
Ere sorely the edge-hate 'twixt Son and Wife's Father
After the slaughter-strife there should awaken.
Then the ghost heavy-strong bore with it hardly
E'en for a while of time, bider in darkness,
That there on each day of days heard he the mirth-tide
Loud in the hall-house. There was the harp's voice,
And clear song of shaper. Said he who could it90
To tell the first fashion of men from aforetime;
Quoth how the Almighty One made the Earth's fashion,
The fair field and bright midst the bow of the Waters,
And with victory beglory'd set Sun and Moon,
Bright beams to enlighten the biders on land:
And how he adorned all parts of the earth
With limbs and with leaves; and life withal shaped
For the kindred of each thing that quick on earth wendeth.
So liv'd on all happy the host of the kinsmen
In game and in glee, until one wight began,100
A fiend out of hell-pit, the framing of evil,
And Grendel forsooth the grim guest was hight,
