[Footnote 1: See Guerber's Myths of Northern Lands, p.

127.] "'Wear these,' she cried, 'since thou hast in the fight So borne thyself, that wide as ocean rolls Round our wind-beaten cliffs his brimming waves, All gallant souls shall speak thy eulogy.'" _Beowulf_ (Conybeare's tr.).
When the banquet was ended, Hrothgar escorted his guests to more pleasant sleeping apartments than they had occupied the night before, leaving his own men to guard the hall, where Grendel would never again appear.

The warriors, fearing no danger, slept in peace; but in the dead of night the mother of the giant, as grewsome and uncanny a monster as he, glided into the hall, secured the bloody trophy still hanging from the ceiling, and carried it away, together with Aeschere (Askher), the king's bosom friend.
When Hrothgar learned this new loss at early dawn he was overcome with grief; and when Beowulf, attracted by the sound of weeping, appeared at his side, he mournfully told him of his irretrievable loss.
"'Ask not after happiness; Sorrow is renewed To the Danes' people.
Aeschere is dead, Yrmenlaf's Elder brother, The partaker of my secrets And my counselor, Who stood at my elbow When we in battle Our mail hoods defended, When troops rushed together And boar crests crashed.'" _Beowulf_ (Metcalfe's tr.).
[Sidenote: Beowulf and Grendel's mother.] The young hero immediately volunteered to finish his work and avenge Aeschere by seeking and attacking Grendel's mother in her own retreat; but as he knew the perils of this expedition, Beowulf first gave explicit directions for the disposal of his personal property in case he never returned.

Then, escorted by the Danes and Geates, he followed the bloody track until he came to a cliff overhanging the waters of the mountain pool.

There the bloody traces ceased, but Aeschere's gory head was placed aloft as a trophy.
"Now paused they sudden where the pine grove clad The hoar rock's brow, a dark and joyless shade.
Troublous and blood-stain'd roll'd the stream below.
Sorrow and dread were on the Scylding's host, In each man's breast deep working; for they saw On that rude cliff young Aeschere's mangled head." _Beowulf_ (Conybeare's tr.).
Beowulf gazed down into the deep waters, saw that they also were darkly dyed with the monster's blood, and, after taking leave of Hrothgar, bade his men await his return for two whole days and nights ere they definitely gave him up for lost.