Coming Back from the Mere

Extract

The morning after Grendel met his match and fled from Heorot, a group of Danish retainers and leaders traced him to the mere of the nickers, wondering at the tracks he had left behind him and rejoicing at his overthrow. We are told nothing of their stay at the mere; indeed we are not told that they made any stay there. But the poet devotes 65 lines to their ride back, giving most of this space, it is true, to Sigemund and Heremod, with songs about whom the Danes were entertained on the way. I say the Danes, because there is nothing to indicate that any Geats took part in the ride. Beowulf himself was a subject of conversation among the Danes; a scop even made a song about him. But we have no reason to think that he was there to hear it. King Hrothgar likewise seems to have stayed behind.