Another attempt at recording a fragment of the Old English heroic poem “Beowulf”. I have included an original refrain, which might work as a chorus or hook, plus versions of the text in Old English and modern English. I’ll include dry stems and alternative wet stems. The lyrics are:
[Refrain — original addition]

Grendel, Dark-Age demon
Beowulf, Dark-Age hero
[extract from the poem “Beowulf”]
[phonetics]

kom on won-ree nicht
shree-than shya-du-genja. Shyay-tend swaa-von
tha that horn-retch-ed hyal-dan shol-don,
yalle boo-ton aa-num. That waas il-dum kooth
that hee-a ne moh-ste tha me-tod nol-de
sheh shin-shaa-tha un-der sha-doo brey-dan,
hac he wetch-end-e wra-thum on an-dan
bad bol-yen-mode byad-waa ye-thin-ges.

*

[original]

Com on wanre niht
scriðan sceadugenga. Sceotend swæfon,
þa þæt hornreced healdan scoldon,
ealle buton anum. þæt wæs yldum cuþ
þæt hie ne moste, þa metod nolde,
se scynscaþa under sceadu bregdan;
ac he wæccende wraþum on andan
bad bolgenmod beadwa geþinges.

*

[translation]

then cloaked in night
came the shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift;
the hall-guards were slack, sleeping at their posts,
all except one; it was well known
that while God forbade it,
the fiend could not fetch them to his shadow-lair.
But one man was in fighting mood,
fresh and keen, keyed up for the contest …

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"Dark-Age Hero"
by Javolenus

2012 - Licensed under
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Dark Age Hero by Wired Ant