ā
Last, but not least, Unferth, Hrothgar's left-handed man,
unexpectedly stanned for Beowulf, and handed him
his heirloom, Hrunting, an ancient hilted sword,
written with runes of ruin, iron blade
emblazoned with poison shoots, each bud
reddened with enemy blood. In war, it never failed
to score flesh, had never been wrested from the fist
of him who held it. It was a sublime solider's sword,
meant to limb enemies, and this wasn't the first time
it urged a hero to perform a feat.
ā
ā