The son of the athelings then went o’er the stony, Declivitous cliffs, the close-covered passes, Narrow passages, paths unfrequented, Nesses abrupt, nicker-haunts many; One of a few of wise-mooded heroes, He onward advanced to view the surroundings, Till he found unawares woods of the mountain O’er hoar-stones hanging, holt-wood unjoyful; The water stood under, welling and gory. ’Twas irksome in spirit to all of the Danemen, Friends of the Scyldings, to many a liegeman Sad to be suffered, a sorrow unlittle To each of the earlmen, when to Aeschere’s head they Came on the cliff. The current was seething With blood and with gore (the troopers gazed on it). The horn anon sang the battle-song ready. The troop were all seated; they saw ’long the water then Many a serpent, mere-dragons wondrous Trying the waters, nickers a-lying On the cliffs of the nesses, which at noonday full often Go on the sea-deeps their sorrowful journey, Wild-beasts and wormkind; away then they hastened