Beowulf Tells His Own Story

In Hart Hall, where the Geats warriors and King and Queen met often to eat, drink, and be merry, one night a boy by the name of Hunferth sat brewing with envy. He had just become a knight and grew tired of the endless stories of the great Beowulf. He thought the stories were blown out of proportion and could not actually be true. It seemed absurd that one man could defeat a fire-breathing dragon, and the Water Witch who was said to be the nastiest creature to ever live.

"I mean what's next?!" Hunferth said a little too loudly.

Without realizing, Hunferth was sitting two men down from the man he was so irritated by. Beowulf leaned back so he could see the boy that was so irate. "What is the matter, boy?" chuckled Beowulf. Hunferth was having a bad week and spluttered, "I just can't believe all these stories about you. I think some of these stories might be made up!" More than a few people within earshot gasped at these disrespectful comments. With eyebrows raised Beowulf thought for a moment. He did not feel any annoyance by the boy but was instead somewhat amused. The countless adventures he had escaped alive did seem pretty unbelievable to any normal person. Beowulf had already had a few pints of mead and was feeling quite jovial and in the mood to tell a story, so he made himself comfortable, stretching out his large body with a few grunts and cracks of his joints, and began telling Hunferth a story from when he was about this boy's age. The story of when he challenged a boy named Breca to a swimming match in the great sea off the Geats Isle.

Beowulf's voice had a way of making people listen. His strong and velvety words wrapped themselves around each person in the hall and it was not too long until the whole room's attention was fixed on Beowulf.

Beowulf took a long swig of mead and began. "When I was a young lad, about your age, Hunferth, I was challenged to a swimming match with an early friend of mine named Breca. He was a bit like you," Beowulf said pointing his tankard at the boy. "He did not believe that I was as strong as I was, battled the monsters I had at such a young age." Hunferth looked down at this moment. His cheeks burned crimson with a slight look of embarrassment. "I seldom turned down a challenge, especially when I was young, so within a few minutes Breca and I had dressed in our chain mail and brandished our swords for the swim. We had such equipment on because this sea, as you all know, has more sea monsters than average." A few chuckles were heard throughout the hall. Beowulf began again, "Breca and I strode into the deep waters and started swimming. As hard as Breca tried he could not swim away from me. We swam for five days. On the fifth night a terrible storm struck down upon us. The waters were angry. They rolled, crashed, and spun us until we were completely disoriented. We swam with all our might, tired from so many days at sea. The crashing waves were not finished with us yet. One large wave sent us under the cold, dark water. In these moments we feared for our lives. As if the situation was not daunting enough the stirred sea roused the monsters from the depths of the ocean. Breca and I were very glad to have placed the coats of mail upon our backs and kept our swords held tightly in our hands for the beasts dragged us down to the sea floor. Our lungs burned as we drove our swords into the beasts dyeing the water a deep red. We swung with only sound to guide us. I kept swinging but realized I was not making contact with anything any longer. I stopped and listened. Breca was stabbing desperately when I swam behind him to cease his panic. The water had calmed, the threat lifted. There were no rushing fins making that dreadful darting sound anymore. It must have been our stubborn will to live but our lungs still held a few moments left of oxygen. Quickly we swam to the water's surface. I don't think in that moment we had ever felt more tired as we weakly floated our way back to shore. Without an ounce of energy left in our bodies we fainted onto the shore and only woke when the sun crept over the horizon. The soft light stung my weary eyes and I slowly, painfully pushed myself up to my elbows. I looked over and saw Breca in a similar state as my own and gave him a nudge. 'Breca,' I whispered to him, 'Breca, we survived.' I could see him beginning to rouse and felt relief. Once I knew he was alive I surveyed our surroundings. It looked as though we had washed onto the Finland shore. I continued to look around and counted nine sea monsters slain that had washed up onto the beach. I had to smile in that moment. I knew Breca and I had survived the impossible. After we regained our strength, believe it not, we swam back to Geats Isle, and there were no monsters this time," Beowulf said lightheartedly as he finished his story.

Even though many of the people in the Hall had heard the story a dozen times they all sat quiet with looks of awe and amazement on their faces. This did not exclude Hunferth. In fact, the boy's face was frozen. He couldn't believe he had ever doubted this man. "The way he told the tale with such admiration and thoughtfulness. There was no way he could be lying," Hunferth thought. "Oh Beowulf! Please forgive the audacity with which I have spoken. I know now that you could not be telling a lie. You speak with such sincerity," said the boy desperately. This time Beowulf let out a hearty laugh. "Please do not apologize. I was happy to share one of my many adventures with a young warrior such as yourself. I hope you listened well and will act bravely as I did in difficult times. Take my story as a lesson." With a serious look on his face, Hunferth nodded and took what Beowulf said to heart.