môd-gehygdum, hwät þâ men wæron.
Gewât him þâ tô waroðe wicge rîdan
235 þegn Hrôðgâres, þrymmum cwehte
mägen-wudu mundum, meðel-wordum frägn:
"Hwät syndon ge searo-häbbendra
"byrnum werede, þe þus brontne ceól
"ofer lagu-stræte lædan cwômon,
240 "hider ofer holmas helmas bæron?
"Ic wäs ende-sæta, æg-wearde heóld,
"þät on land Dena lâðra nænig
"mid scip-herge sceððan ne meahte.
"Nô her cûðlîcor cuman ongunnon
245 "lind-häbbende; ne ge leáfnes-word
"gûð-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson,
"mâga gemêdu. Næfre ic mâran geseah
"eorla ofer eorðan, þonne is eówer sum,
"secg on searwum; nis þät seld-guma
250 "wæpnum geweorðad, näfne him his wlite leóge,
"ænlîc an-sýn. Nu ic eówer sceal
"frum-cyn witan, ær ge fyr heonan
"leáse sceáweras on land Dena
"furður fêran. Nu ge feor-bûend,
255 "mere-lîðende, mînne gehýrað
"ân-fealdne geþôht: ôfost is sêlest
"tô gecýðanne, hwanan eówre cyme syndon."


V. THE ERRAND.

Him se yldesta andswarode,