The Sea Waif.

I.

The people came andlooked into the mist
And pushed their feet into the rushing tide.
With straining eyes they pierced the lifting fog,
And marvelled much to see a little ship
Unworked by human hands leap toward the shore.
Her sail tugged hard upon the yielding ropes;
Her purple pennant gaily lashed the mast;
And while the lookers grew upon the beach,
The flying boat shot high upon the sands.


II.

But fresh amazement filled their eager eyes
When in the boat a sleeping babe they saw.
No other soul it held, but solitude
Was that lad’s portion in the tiny ship.
Beside him there was armor laid with gold,
A mighty sword with sparkling jewelled hilt,
A battle axe, and spear with burnished point,
A belt and spurs, as for the bravest knight.

III.

The babe slept sound upon an ermine robe,
While all about him rich apparel lay,
And rings and bracelets set with precious stones,
And gold enough to ransom home a king.

IV.

This babe was Beowulf, — the name they found
Engraven on the jewels of his boat.
While still he slept they brought him soft away
Unto King Hrothgar there in Harot Hall.
The King and Queen received him with delight,
And woke his slumber with their gentle love.
The boy looked deep into their kindly eyes,
Then laughed, — for quick a baby knows its friends —
And they laughed, too, and ordered food soon brought.
Then while the lusty infantas wants were served,
They listened how the sea had cast him up
Unharmed and fast asleep upon the coast.

V.

He was so large and strong, though recent born,
And wore so plain the stamp of royal birth,
The childless monarchs pressed him to their hearts,
As one of equal blood; and they declared
All ceremony his that’s due a Prince.
The Queen appointed her most noble dames
To give a mother’s comfort to the waif.
And Hrothgar vowed that if an heir came not
Through course of nature to his royal bed,
Then Beowulf should wear the kingdom’s crown.

VI.

The affluent freight that lay around the boy
Was safely sealed within the royal vaults
Until the child should grow. And then the boat
Was drawn upon the shore and housed away.

VII.

Wise men who knew the learning of the world
Now taught the lad to count and read and think;
To speak no evil and abet no wrong.
Then others trained to arms instruction gave
In all accomplishments that fit a man.
With spear, and sword, and horse, until the youth,
So nurtured in the wealth of Hrothgar’s court.
Excelled in wisdom and in chivalry.
He shirked no danger in the game or hunt.
He loved the truth, and made the simple boast
That come what would he’d ne’er let honor go.
They found him gifted with a mighty strength,
Surpassing all who strove with him in games,
Till he could master ten of them in arms.

VIII.

King Hrothgar’s castle, Harot Hall, was famed
For room, and strength, and beauty of design
Above all else that human hands had reared.
The antlers carved around its battlements
Gave it the name of Hart or Harot Hall.
A thousand silken flags with shining gold
Hung on its walls. Its mighty towers touched
The lowest clouds, defied the storm, and bade
The soaring eagle welcome in the sky.
Its battlements frowned dark upon the world.
Its moat was sunk too deep for men to ford,
Its drawbridge lay at rest for friendly foot,
But hung suspended when the warder’s horn
Gave lofty signal of a foe’s approach.
Its spacious rooms in stone and oak were built.
Five thousand souls abode beneath its roof.
The monarch reared it in the pride of life,
And swore that it should stand a thousand years.

IX.

The gods did give him fortune, health, and power; —
Or if they frowned, an altar in the wood
Appeased their idols with its sacrifice.

X.

Night found the spacious banquet hall alight
With torch and hearth-fire while the king did sup.
Fair Wealtheow, his Queen, beside him sat,
And all his earls and thanes, to feast with him.

XI.

The mead-cup passed around the joyous board.
And all drank deep the ale and pledged the king.
Brave laughter echoed from their knightly hearts.
Then stood the minstrel with his harp, and sang
The deeds of mighty men, and drew their lives
So lustrous with the burning tongue of fame
As made the company of noble guests
Spring up and draw their swords, and vow that they
Would ride abroad and die for honor, too:
Then called upon their gods to hear them swear.

XII.

In time the Queen gave birth to Freaware,
A maid with golden hair and soft blue eye,
Who grew to frolic childhood, then to youth,
And danced with Beowulf in forest glades,
And romped beneath the spreading linden trees.

XIII.

One day came Hunferth, a gigantic earl.
And would have joined their sport, but Freaware
Repelled him; when more ardent grew the man
And sought to win the maid from Beowulf.
The Princess spurned his suit, upbraiding him
That he should woo the daughter of a King.
Whereon did Hunferth sneer at Beowulf,
That she a nameless playmate, a sea waif.
Should choose before the King’s most ancient earl.
Taunt followed taunt, till Beowulf, enraged,
Contended with his foe, and raising him
Aloft, discharged him stunned upon the ground.
The agitated Princess seized his hand
And drew him from the scene of jealous strife.

002. “Taunt followed taunt”

XIV.

The adolescent days passed into years
While all the time their strong affection grew.
They heard the call of every bird that sang,
And loved those winged flowers, the butterflies,
That sipped pure dew from every nodding rose.
They watched the boistous waves break on the shore,
And learned the mystic language of the sea.
They wooed the curlew from his stormcloud home.
And in the deep glade calmed the startled deer.
Their life was laughter and their food was joy; —
Heigh ho, the eglantine and daffodil: —
Until the unknown passion of their blood
Begat at last a shyness in the pair;
Then walked they silent in the mesh of love.

XV.

But Beowulf resolved he ne’er would stop
To tell his melting tale to willing ears
Until his sword had done its deeds of praise.


Dieses Kapitel ist Teil des Buches BEOWULF
“Taunt followed taunt”.

“Taunt followed taunt”.

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