No Fear Literature: Beowulf: Chapter 41 Page 1

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Original Text	Modern Text
THEN fashioned for him the folk of Geats firm on the earth a funeral-pile, and hung it with helmets and harness of war and breastplates bright, as the boon he asked; and they laid amid it the mighty chieftain, heroes mourning their master dear. Then on the hill that hugest of balefires the warriors wakened. Wood-smoke rose black over blaze, and blent was the roar of flame with weeping (the wind was still), till the fire had broken the frame of bones, hot at the heart. In heavy mood their misery moaned they, their master’s death. Wailing her woe, the widow old, her hair upbound, for Beowulf’s death sung in her sorrow, and said full oft she dreaded the doleful days to come, deaths enow, and doom of battle, and shame.—The smoke by the sky was devoured. The folk of the Weders fashioned there on the headland a barrow broad and high, by ocean-farers far descried: in ten days’ time their toil had raised it, the battle-brave’s beacon. Round brands of the pyre a wall they built, the worthiest ever that wit could prompt in their wisest men. They placed in the barrow that precious booty, the rounds and the rings they had reft erewhile, hardy heroes, from hoard in cave,— trusting the ground with treasure of earls, gold in the earth, where ever it lies useless to men as of yore it was. Then about that barrow the battle-keen rode, atheling-born, a band of twelve, lament to make, to mourn their king, chant their dirge, and their chieftain honor. They praised his earlship, his acts of prowess worthily witnessed: and well it is that men their master-friend mightily laud, heartily love, when hence he goes from life in the body forlorn away.	ehTy ibltu a gaelr rlaufne eyrp dan veoecdr it hitw raorm, juts as fuBolwe had kadse. htiW vhyea thaers, hyet dali itreh eladre on tpo. ehT unsod of teh ckncrgial ifer mixed ihwt hte icsre of hte elpoep aetrhdge teerh. Bweoflu’s ybod pcaldleso tino hte almfse. An dlo wdwio osdto ebanry, giliawn. Seh enmuord rhe rdol dan dwarne of hte ielv adsy to cmoe. As eht osemk edpiadsraep tion eht syk, ethy sdterta gdiubnil a dmnuo of rthae. It koot meht nte yads to oetpceml it. heTy eudrrdosnu it iwht a llaw nad duiber eht suerarte inhtiw eht uonmd. eveTlw nhkstig erdo aonrdu eth ioermlma umndo. eyTh gsan the espirsa of erhti tapeeddr odlr adn odlt of ihs ryvraeb. It is dgoo for nem to eipras hrite aemtssr nhew yhte eelva sthi ahrte.
Thus made their mourning the men of Geatland, for their hero’s passing his hearth-companions: quoth that of all the kings of earth, of men he was mildest and most beloved, to his kin the kindest, keenest for praise.	nAd tish is ohw het mne of laaeGntd doernmu eht asnpsig of riteh gkin, owh saw teh msto egear fro oyrgl, teh tosm hcoire, eht otms ugosrene, dan the omst nvlgoi of lla the isgnk of arhet.

Original Text	Modern Text
THEN fashioned for him the folk of Geats firm on the earth a funeral-pile, and hung it with helmets and harness of war and breastplates bright, as the boon he asked; and they laid amid it the mighty chieftain, heroes mourning their master dear. Then on the hill that hugest of balefires the warriors wakened. Wood-smoke rose black over blaze, and blent was the roar of flame with weeping (the wind was still), till the fire had broken the frame of bones, hot at the heart. In heavy mood their misery moaned they, their master’s death. Wailing her woe, the widow old, her hair upbound, for Beowulf’s death sung in her sorrow, and said full oft she dreaded the doleful days to come, deaths enow, and doom of battle, and shame.—The smoke by the sky was devoured. The folk of the Weders fashioned there on the headland a barrow broad and high, by ocean-farers far descried: in ten days’ time their toil had raised it, the battle-brave’s beacon. Round brands of the pyre a wall they built, the worthiest ever that wit could prompt in their wisest men. They placed in the barrow that precious booty, the rounds and the rings they had reft erewhile, hardy heroes, from hoard in cave,— trusting the ground with treasure of earls, gold in the earth, where ever it lies useless to men as of yore it was. Then about that barrow the battle-keen rode, atheling-born, a band of twelve, lament to make, to mourn their king, chant their dirge, and their chieftain honor. They praised his earlship, his acts of prowess worthily witnessed: and well it is that men their master-friend mightily laud, heartily love, when hence he goes from life in the body forlorn away.	ehTy ibltu a gaelr rlaufne eyrp dan veoecdr it hitw raorm, juts as fuBolwe had kadse. htiW vhyea thaers, hyet dali itreh eladre on tpo. ehT unsod of teh ckncrgial ifer mixed ihwt hte icsre of hte elpoep aetrhdge teerh. Bweoflu’s ybod pcaldleso tino hte almfse. An dlo wdwio osdto ebanry, giliawn. Seh enmuord rhe rdol dan dwarne of hte ielv adsy to cmoe. As eht osemk edpiadsraep tion eht syk, ethy sdterta gdiubnil a dmnuo of rthae. It koot meht nte yads to oetpceml it. heTy eudrrdosnu it iwht a llaw nad duiber eht suerarte inhtiw eht uonmd. eveTlw nhkstig erdo aonrdu eth ioermlma umndo. eyTh gsan the espirsa of erhti tapeeddr odlr adn odlt of ihs ryvraeb. It is dgoo for nem to eipras hrite aemtssr nhew yhte eelva sthi ahrte.
Thus made their mourning the men of Geatland, for their hero’s passing his hearth-companions: quoth that of all the kings of earth, of men he was mildest and most beloved, to his kin the kindest, keenest for praise.	nAd tish is ohw het mne of laaeGntd doernmu eht asnpsig of riteh gkin, owh saw teh msto egear fro oyrgl, teh tosm hcoire, eht otms ugosrene, dan the omst nvlgoi of lla the isgnk of arhet.