The Watchman spoke:

'How can I know if your words are true? Wait here a while. My men will guard you. I must speak with lord Hrothgar before I let you go further.' He planned to return with Hrothgar and more soldiers.

The Watchman had been gone only a short time when a man dressed in fine clothes rode up. The man's name was Unferth. He had been out hunting with his hawk. Twenty-four men were with him.

'What's going on?' he asked the men guarding Beowulf's group. 'I'll take care of this. I have seen a few fights and can deal with any trouble.'

He shouted to Beowulf below on the sand:

'Have you come to rob us from the sea? Do you want us to give you gold to go away?'

'Do not insult us,' Beowulf replied. 'We are no raiders. We came to help lord Hrothgar. We do not want your gold. Rather we will give you sharp-pointed spears and ancient swords upon your heads. Come down to where we are and we will show you.'

'I do not believe your story,' Unferth cried. 'It is nothing but a trick. We Danes will show you what fighting is, and let the wolf and the raven have what remains when we have finished.'

Then Unferth let his hawk fly from off his wrist into the forest. He and his men left their horses and went down to the beach.

'Take hold of your shields and your courage,' Beowulf told his men. 'Think bravely and be with me.'

Even then the battle might not have happened. Beowulf had no wish to fight over such foolish things. But one of Unferth's men saw sunlight glint on a shield and was sure the Geats had drawn their swords. So he threw his spear and hit the man next to Beowulf in the shoulder.

Then the Danes and the Geats let spears fly from their fists. Beowulf's men keep close together. They strike boldly with their swords on every side. One of Unferth's men comes forward, holding up his shield, and throws his spear. One of Beowulf's companions is wounded, but his friend at once runs out and attacks Unferth's warrior. He has seen many battles, that man, and he makes sure his spear goes right through the Dane's neck. Another of the Geats pushes his sword through the rings of a Dane's mailcoat. Never have I heard of such a small group of men fighting so nobly. Not one of them fell. They were worth Beowulf's trust.

Now Beowulf begins to press forward. He uses his sword but it is with bare hands that he best likes to fight. With the strength of his arms he bursts the bone-cage of one man after another.

When Unferth sees his men fall back in fear he no longer feels like fighting. He runs from the place of battle and flees on his horse into the forest.

The Danes see their leader has left them. They are not sure what they should do. Beowulf orders his men to fall back and speaks to the Danes.

'Listen, let us end this. We did not come here to kill you. A warrior in battle must fight by his lord until his last breath. If his lord is killed a soldier must stay by his body and fight. But your leader has fled. Let us lose no more lives.'

He pointed to the field of battle. Good men lay around, the pale crowd of the dead. Crows hung in the air. They would share that battle-meat with the wolves soon after.