BEOWULF SLAYS THE WATER WITCH

An old legend in which the hero overcomes the terrors of the sea.

After Beowulf had slain the terrible Grendel, there was great rejoicing. The furniture in the hall was all restored; the tapestries and carpets were made new; embroideries were hung on the gold benches and a great feast was prepared. Never before was so splendid a banquet. After the feast the king gave Beowulf and his warriors many presents, coats of arms, horses and gold-handled swords. When the feast was over, the minstrels sang songs and everybody lay down to sleep.

But away down in the sea, the Water Witch, the mother of the dead Grendel, nursed her wrath, and at night came up to the land, and went straight to the Hall to avenge her son. While they slept she crept in through the cracks in the door and seized a warrior and bore him off to the sea to drown him. She was almost as horrible as Grendel himself. The warriors arose in great fear and called for Beowulf.

“The Water Witch! The Water Witch!” they cried. “The mother of Grendel has come upon us! What shall we do?”

Beowulf begged them to be calm. He said he would fight the Water Witch as he had her son. All the warriors went with him to the shores of the sea where the Witch lived. On the dark waters swam many dragons and serpents and slimy water-worms. Beowulf took his sword in his hand, put on his helmet and his coat of armor, through which no steel might ever pierce; then bidding the king farewell he leaped into the sea and went down and down until he touched the very bottom.

Here the Water Witch lived, and as soon as she saw Beowulf she reached out her long skinny hand to crush him. But his armor was so strong that she could not hurt him in any wise. She then dragged him into her cave. She held him so fast he could not unsheathe his sword. Terrible sea monsters attacked him on all sides. But he was unhurt.

Finally he drew his sword and attacked the Water Witch; but she was no more to be hurt by a sword than was Beowulf. Seizing her by the shoulders he dragged her down and there made a fearful fight on the floor of the sea. The water boiled and great waves rose to the top. Beowulf saw a shining dagger hanging to a rock. It glittered like diamonds and gold; as they swayed over to it, he seized it and thrust it into the heart of the Water Witch.

She sank to the floor and her blood dyed all the water red, and the people on the shore thought the setting sun had done it. Beowulf rose and saw that she was quite dead. On the floor of the cave lay the body of Grendel also. So he cut off the head of the monster and rose to the surface and swam to shore where he laid the bloody head before the king and told him the Water Witch could do him no more harm. And that was the end of Grendel and his dreadful mother.