I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but here, it’s been grey and gloomy; the wind howls, and the rain falls. Since the weather is much too nasty to carry on real adventures out of doors, let’s read of grand adventures indoors, shall we?

Let us begin with the grandest tale of them all, Beowulf {as translated by Seamus Heaney}…

So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by

and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness.

We have heard of those princes’ heroic campaigns.

There was Shield Sheafson, scourge of many tribes,

a wrecker of mead-benches, rampaging among foes.

This terror of the hall-troops had come far.

A foundling to start with, he would flourish later on

as his powers waxed and his worth was proved.

In the end each clan on the outlying coasts

beyond the whale-road had to yield to him

and begin to pay tribute. That was one good King.

Afterwards a boy-child was born to Shield,

a cub in the yard, a comfort sent

by God to that nation. He knew what they had tholed,

the long times and troubles they’d come through

without a leader; so the Lord of Life,

the glorious Almighty, made this man renowned.

Shield had fathered a famous son:

Beow’s name was known through the north.

And a young prince must be prudent like that,

giving freely while his father lives

so that afterwards in age when fighting starts

steadfast companions will stand by him

and hold the line. Behavior that’s admired

is the path to power among people everywhere.

Shield was still thriving when his time came

and he crossed over into the Lord’s keeping.

His warrior band did what he bade them

when he laid down the law among the Danes:

they shouldered him out to the sea’s flood,

the chief they revered who had long ruled them.

A ring-whorled prow rode in the harbor,

ice-clad, outbound, a craft for a prince.

They stretched their beloved lord in his boat,

laid out by the mast, amid ships,

the great-ring-giver. Far-fetched treasures

were piled upon him, and precious gear.

I’ve never heard before of a ship so well furbished

with battle tackle, bladed weapons

and coats of mail. The massed treasure

was loaded on top of him: it would travel far

on out into the ocean’s sway…