Ða wæs on burgum beowulf scyldinga leof leodcyning, longe þrage folcum gefræge fæder ellor hwearf aldor of earde oþþæt him eft onwoc heah healfdene heold þenden lifde gamol ond guðreouw, glæde scyldingas ðæm feower bearn forðgerimed in worold wocun weoroda ræswan heorogar – ond hroðgar ond halga til hyrde ic þæt elan cwen – heaðoscilfingas healsgebedda þa wæs hroðgare heresped gyfen wiges weorðmynd – þæt him his winemagas georne hyrdon oðð þæt seo geogoð geweox magodriht micel him on mod bearn þæt healreced hatan wolde medoærn micel, men gewyrcean þonne yldo bearn æfre gefrunon – ond þær on innan eall gedælan geongum ond ealdum swylc him god sealed buton folcscare ond feorum gumena – ða ic wide gefrægn weorc gebannan manigre mægþe geond þisne middangeard folcstede frætwan him on fyrste gelomp ædre mid yldum – þæt hit wearð ealgearo healærna mæst scop him heort naman se þe his wordes geweald wide hæfde.
He beot ne aleh beagas dælde sinc æt symle sele hlifade – heah ond horngeap, heaðowylma bad, laðan liges ne wæs hit lenge þa gen þæt se ecghete aþumsweorum æfter wælniðe wæcnan scolde – ða se ellorgæst earfoðlice þrage geþolode se þe in þystrum bad þæt he dogora gehwam dream gehyrde hludne in healle þær wæs hearpan sweg swutol sang scopes sægde se þe cuþe frumsceaft fira feorran reccan . . , [Jon-note: WTF is this??] cwæð þæt se ælmihtiga eorðan worhte wlitebeorhtne wang swa wæter bebugeð gesette sigehreþig sunnan ond monan leoman to leohte landbuendum ond gefrætwade foldan sceatas leomum ond leafum lif eac gesceop cynna gehwylcum þara ðe cwice hwyrfaþ.
Swa ða drihtguman dreamum lifdon eadiglice oððæt an ongan fyrene fremman feond on helle wæs se grimma gæst grendel haten mære mearcstapa se þe moras heold fen ond fæsten fifelcynnes eard wonsæli wer weardode hwile siþðan him scyppend forscrifen hæfde in caines cynne þone cwealm gewræc ece drihten þæs þe he abel slog.
Ne gefeah he þære fæhðe ac he hine feor forwræc metod for þy mane mancynne fram þanon untydras ealle onwocon eotenas ond ylfe ond orcneas swylce gigantas þa wið gode wunnon lange þrage he him ðæs lean forgeald.
Friday, May 8, 2009
My Beowulf, Fitt 1
Notice the strangeness in that second "paragraph":