Beowulf

LibriVox recording of Beowulf, translated by Francis Barton Gummere (1855-1919). This is a short but beautiful book, and the Gummere translation really captures the feel of the Old English. Beowulf tells the story of a mysterious young warrior who saves the Spear-Danes from the terrible monster Grendel and his venomous mother. Long a mainstay of English Literature 101 courses at universities around the world, it is not only one of the oldest, but one of the most exciting English folktales ever invented. The sections are all short -- no more than 10 pages each -- and contain several sections of