Hrothgar and Hryllingur, Part XIX
Continuing Somhairle na Dagney's retelling of Beowulf.
If you're new to this serialization, here's the link to the introductory post, which now has the complete table of contents. Or you can read the completed (to date) verses here.
Bare bench was Bjarndýr’s
Bed in Hrothgar’s hall; beside and
Below on flaggéd floor, his men
Made to rest. Rögnir heard their prayers
Of victory and home.
Giving to the fates
Their futures, Heorot’s hall-guards
Drowsed in the dark. All but Bjarndýr:
Wakeful, watchful, waiting for his foe,
For his oath to honour.
Hidden by night came
Hryllingur, cloud-shrouded, hunting
Hrothgar’s hall, bright bale-fire burning
In his eyes; his heart angered, empty,
Holding naught by hatred.
In ire he wrenched wide
The door of oak and iron bars:
No barrier to doom. Blood lust
Leaping, Hryllingur laughed long
At warriors asleep:
So simple to slay!
Flesh for feasting; hunger quenched.
One sleeper taken, blood and bone
Devoured: Bjarndýr next to bear
The creature’s deadly claw.
More next Thursday!
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I was wondering how this part would be handled! Again, the economical writing style here really did well to bring out the tension with such well-chosen descriptions.
Getting to the chilling part. I always find the carnage in the hall the most horrible bit of the story.