Part 28 (1/2)
_Aim of the Volume._
'It is meant mainly to arouse in children an interest in the beginnings of our literature--a subject that is still terribly neglected in schools. It makes no pretension to being an adequate or satisfactory version for grown-up readers.' --Page 6.
_Method of Paraphrase._
'[Discrepancies in the poem] I have endeavoured to smooth over by omission or by very slight additions; and whenever of two readings of a doubtful pa.s.sage, one is more easily comprehensible than the other, I have always adhered to this, even if on philological grounds it seems less probable.'...
'Many of the episodes in the story have been greatly shortened or altogether omitted, since they interrupt the course of the narrative, or divert the interest from the main theme.'
--Pages 5, 6.
This statement is more modest than need be. It will be found that only two of the episodes are pa.s.sed without mention--the Prolog and the Tale of Thrytho. The Legend of Sigemund and the Tale of Finn are rather fully treated, and the Story of Freawaru and the Battle of Ravenswood are both referred to. In each case the episodes are carefully woven into the story, and that without superfluous words.
The words and sentences which are supplied are very carefully chosen, and most of them have a prototype somewhere in the poem.
EXTRACT.
Now, though most of Hrothgar's men rejoiced to see Beowulf, and honoured him for his generous thought in coming to their help, there was one who looked on him with dislike and envy, and was jealous of the favour shown him by the king. This was Hunferth, who was sitting on the das at Hrothgar's feet. And when he heard what this visitor intended to do, he grew angry and moody, because he could not bear that any other man on earth should obtain greater honour than he himself. So he began to rake up old tales that he had heard of Beowulf, and tried to turn them to his hurt, saying scornfully:
'Art thou that Beowulf who once strove on the wide sea in a swimming-match with Breca, when ye two in boasting dared to breast the wave, and for vainglory risked your lives in the deep water?