''Hrunting'', The Sword of Beowulf

By Crusader1307

This was Beowulf's legendary sword. Being a hired mercenary by the Danes to kill the Monster Grendel, Beowulf was given the blade Hrunting by the Nobleman Unferth. The blade was a "Generational Sword" (or a family weapon passed down from father to son). It was no doubt of the Norse Spatha variety, probably 30 to 35 inches long. Hrunting apparently never failed in combat (in defeating it's enemy). That was of course until Beowulf used it! Although it killed Grendel, it failed to kill his Mother (this may have been because when Beowulf first engaged her with it, they were underwater). If Hrunting existed, it must have been a fine example of Norse weaponry.