Fine and calm the day at Ossby
Cares complete; the fine whale
Long since sung in and cutting
Leisurely works on fleet commenced
And time for men to take their ease
Scan across the noontide sea; no foe there to be seen
Suomi chieftain Toivi swings the flensing iron
Deep into blubber on inner strand; at guard he smiles
Broadly
At last the watchman sees his goal
Battlement notch, climax of long toilsome climb
Duty done he sets down the great ale can
Lifts his face to the cooling breeze
The clear horizon; The Geatish longships in the bay
Suomi chieftain Toivi swings the flensing iron
Deep into guard on inner strand; at blubber he smiles.
Eowan run around in shock and dismay
Most alert of their slaves find weapons ; fists ; teeth ; hatred
To add to their woe
Geats come ashore and join battle on main strand
Carry their assault to the main castle gate
Black Pig surges up inner strand
Pours out Geats to join the Suomi at their merrymaking
Swiftly run for the Sea Gate Hrothgar Herefrith
Wystan and Herewulf by lower wall and crane a way up seek.
Scorning to save his skin, Herewulf shins up the crane gear
From its top he slays his way to the wall
Wystan Wulfinga fears not to follow
Into a hazardous stance; poorly armed the pair
Must now to deaths dance on wall top with
foes well armed and armoured
Sea-gate squeaks; tardy work on outer valves
Hrothgar slams into gate; shield and shoulder
Part the timbers and into
the killing zone he forces his way
Cruellest of all Corns ; hard hail of Daroth
Robs Hrothgar at length of sense; Bold Herefrith also
Linda Wulfinga shields and others push through with shield and axe.
All along the sea-gate stairs, Eowan lose heart
More lightly armed climb rope to wall top where
The bowman and the Aetheling
Have in grim combat proved the harder and turned
The Daroth droppers to fugitives or dead meat.
Now defenders all hope lose
main gate sea gate alike ; given up to the Geats
Ossby their Burg