Fortune turned as faded strength
Bright eyed Baldric with battered shield
Dulled with dust, dented with blows
In the fray first with fierce cry,
Into their ranks he ran, rage his blood
Sword like sickle, swinging wild.
Like cursed corn he cut them down.
Met the putrid plague-grey face,
The snarling enemy slaughter-minded
With jeering clangor that coward false,
A jagged knife needle thin,
Plunged poisoned, penetrating flesh,
Knife in his shoulder, sharper his anger
With final stroke he smote his foe
And together tumbled to the tumultuous earth
Two corpses wrecked on writhing ground,
Hatred hardened as heroes saw
In muck and mire muddied thus
That battered body of bear-like courage
Beneath their boots blackly defiled
In the hall hopeful, hearts breathless
The women waited in watchful night
Then silver Silgilflaed standing tall,
In her noble breast, blood stirred
A spear she seized surpassing sharp,
And bright braids she bound around her head
Her daughter young, demeanour grave
To her mother held a helm of war.
“To delay and declare with dreary words,
And kindle courage with keen songs,
Needful is not, for no niggards here guard,
Their battle blood, nor buy their lives,
And pay the price as preserved milksops.
Wakeful women, wills be strong
High be your hearts, the hall well guard.”
With steady step, out Sigilflaed strode,
Heedless of the hated, horrid cries
The drum and din of deadly strife,
Guthleoth grim, gashed with wounds,
By Sigilflaed stood, strong by the gate,
Beloved lord, with lady brave,
Felling foes, fought together,
Determined to destroy the dauntless couple
Unending attacks, exhausted strength
Pierced through perished, that puissant woman,
To the pestilent pillagers, still pledging hate,
And to the grey ground, Guthleoth fell.
By firelight flaming, fierce the women,
Silently arms and armour taking,
Loud the laments, of Leothwise singing
Holding harp of hammered gold,
Of solemn strength, singing clear,
Of long the spears, luminous shining
In tales of torchlight in troubled years.
Yet relentless their resolve to repel the foe,
To defend the hall to dying breath.
