Beowulf by Robert Nye Page B

gold than a man can carry. It is all for you, dear uncle.” He hesitated. Then he unbuckled the golden collar from about his neck—the Brisingamen collar that Queen Wealhtheow had given him. He held it up in the torchlight; it shone like a star-cluster. “And this,” said Beowulf, “I would give to you, dear aunt.”
    Beowulf’s aunt, Hygelac’s young wife, was Hygd, the daughter of Haereth. Queen Hygd was beautiful and wise, with a creamy brow and poppies in her cheeks. She took the collar gladly, and thanked him for it.
    Hygelac was so pleased and impressed by his nephew’s courtesy that he granted to him as much land as he could cover in a day’s ride on the white horse with the black mane. The mare flew over stone and stream and meadow, and by that sundown Beowulf was master of a greater estate in the land of the Geats than anyone save the king himself.
    The only gift that Beowulf kept was the golden ring Queen Wealhtheow had put on his finger after the slaying of Grendel. He could not bring himself to part with this.

    A few years passed in peace. Beowulf lived quietly, doing country things—he took to the keeping of bees, and most days would see him tending his tawny hives in the sun. The bees never stung him. They were big bees, too, armed with the kind of venom that could kill, if one was unfortunate enough to be attacked by the whole swarm. But Beowulf had a way with them, and the bees seemed to love him. Sometimes he would dust his cheeks with pollen and sprawl in the sun, and the bees used to come humming and crawl all over his face, so that anyone seeing him would swear he was wearing a mask of gold and black. He drank wine from a silver cup, never got drunk, and was very happy.
    Then the peace was broken. The land of the Geats was invaded by the Friesians. The Friesians were fierce and cunning. They came in the night, their long ships creeping up the moonlit fjords. They burned and they plundered. They left death everywhere they went. But they always packed back to their ships and sailed away before Hygelac or Beowulf could catch them.
    The king grew angry at these tricks. He led his men in a counterattack. He burned whole villages in Friesland for revenge. But returning to his ship, he was trapped in an ambush.Hygelac fought desperately, for life was dear to him. But the Geats were outnumbered. Hygelac was killed. Beowulf himself just managed to escape, bearing his uncle’s body, when all seemed lost. He had to swim back home through a half-frozen sea.
    Queen Hygd was made sick with sadness at the loss of her husband. She was also worried because their only son, Hardred, was still a baby, unable to take more than a few faltering steps and say things like “Mamma! Mercy, pity, peace, mercy, pity, peace … Mamma!”—and she saw a bloody fight coming, to determine who should rule the land. So she asked the people to set aside her own son’s claim to the throne and have Beowulf as king.
    The Geats cheered loud and long when they heard this. But Beowulf said: “No, I am no usurper. I do not want the crown while anyone lives who has a better right to wear it.”
    “Your feelings do you credit,” said Queen Hygd. “But, tell me, how can my son be king when he can hardly talk? How will he rule? Who will listen to him?”
    Beowulf knelt by the boy Hardred, who was playing with some blocks upon the floor. “I will listen to him,” he said seriously.
    The baby looked at him.
    Beowulf handed him a block.
    “Mercy,” said Hardred.
    “A fit quality in a king,” said Beowulf.
    He handed the boy another block.
    “Pity,” said Hardred.
    “A wise virtue in a king,” said Beowulf.
    He handed him a third block.
    “Peace,” said Hardred.
    “The end and purpose of all kingcraft,” said Beowulf.
    He clapped his hands. Hardred laughed for joy and dropped the blocks. Beowulf lifted him in his arms and set him on his shield. Then he raised both, shield and baby, above his head.
    “Long live Hardred!”