XVI - Page 2

Hildeburh's hest, at Hnaef's own pyre
the bairn of her body on brands to lay,
his bones to burn, on the balefire placed,
at his uncle's side. In sorrowful dirges
bewept them the woman: great wailing ascended.
Then wound up to welkin the wildest of death-fires,
roared o'er the hillock:[10] heads all were melted,
gashes burst, and blood gushed out
from bites[11] of the body. Balefire devoured,
greediest spirit, those spared not by war
out of either folk: their flower was gone.

[1] Man-price, wergild. [2] Beowulf's. [3] Hrothgar. [4] There is
no need to assume a gap in the Ms. As before about Sigemund and
Heremod, so now, though at greater length, about Finn and his
feud, a lay is chanted or recited; and the epic poet, counting on
his readers' familiarity with the story, -- a fragment of it
still exists, -- simply gives the headings. [5] The exact story
to which this episode refers in summary is not to be determined,
but the following account of it is reasonable and has good
support among scholars. Finn, a Frisian chieftain, who
nevertheless has a "castle" outside the Frisian border, marries
Hildeburh, a Danish princess; and her brother, Hnaef, with many
other Danes, pays Finn a visit. Relations between the two peoples
have been strained before. Something starts the old feud anew;
and the visitors are attacked in their quarters. Hnaef is killed;
so is a son of Hildeburh. Many fall on both sides. Peace is
patched up; a stately funeral is held; and the surviving visitors
become in a way vassals or liegemen of Finn, going back with him
to Frisia. So matters rest a while. Hengest is now leader of the
Danes; but he is set upon revenge for his former lord, Hnaef.
Probably he is killed in feud; but his clansmen, Guthlaf and
Oslaf, gather at their home a force of sturdy Danes, come back to
Frisia, storm Finn's stronghold, kill him, and carry back their
kinswoman Hildeburh. [6] The "enemies" must be the Frisians. [7]
Battlefield. -- Hengest is the "prince's thane," companion of
Hnaef. "Folcwald's son" is Finn. [8] That is, Finn would govern
in all honor the few Danish warriors who were left, provided, of
course, that none of them tried to renew the quarrel or avenge
Hnaef their fallen lord. If, again, one of Finn's Frisians began
a quarrel, he should die by the sword. [9] Hnaef. [10] The high
place chosen for the funeral: see description of Beowulf's
funeral-pile at the end of the poem. [11] Wounds.