A Book of Myths, by Jean Lang - Umnet

Grendel's scaly hide. Up and down the hall the combatants wrestled,
until the walls shook and the great building itself rocked to its
foundations. Ever and again it seemed as though no human power
could prevail against teeth and claws and demonic fury, and as tables
and benches crashed to the ground and broke under the tramping feet of
the Grendel, it appeared an impossible thing that Beowulf should
overcome. Yet ever tighter and more tight grew the iron grip of
Beowulf. His fingers seemed turned to iron. His hatred and loathing
made his grasp crash through scales, into flesh, and crush the marrow
out of the bone it found there. And when at length the Grendel could no
more, and with a terrible cry wrenched himself free, and fled, wailing,
back to the fenland, still in his grasp Beowulf held the limb. The
Grendel had freed himself by tearing the whole arm out of its socket,
and, for once, the trail of blood across the moors was that of the
monster and not of its victims.
Great indeed was the rejoicing of Hrothgar and of his people when, in
the morning, instead of crimson-stained rushes and the track of vermin
claws imbrued in human blood, they found all but one of the men from
Gothland alive, and looked upon the hideous trophy that told them that
their enemy could only have gone to find a shameful death in the
marshes. They cleansed out the great hall, hung it with lordly trappings,
and made it once more fit habitation for the lordliest in the land. That
night a feast was held in it, such as had never before been held all
through the magnificent reign of Hrothgar. The best of the scalds sung
songs in honour of the triumph of Beowulf, and the queen herself
pledged the hero in a cup of mead and gave to him the beautiful most
richly jewelled collar Brisingamen, of exquisite ancient workmanship,
that once was owned by Freya, queen of the gods, and a great ring of
the purest red gold. To Beowulf, too, the king gave a banner, all
broidered in gold, a sword of the finest, with helmet and corselet, and
eight fleet steeds, and on the back of the one that he deemed the best
Hrothgar had placed his own saddle, cunningly wrought, and decked
with golden ornaments. To each of the warriors of Beowulf there were
also given rich gifts. And ere the queen, with her maidens, left the hall
that night she said to Beowulf: