Week Twelve Storytelling: Grendel Attacks

Beowulf and Grendel. BECUO.

It sure is good to be me. I have been growing in strength the past few months after moving regions to this place called Danesland. In the city, there are so many prime suspects for my mother and I to eat. Each night, we go into the city and take a man for our own. Our most favorite dish is the young men of the city. Their young blood is the elixir of life that keeps us going.

I guess I should back up and explain. I am what is known as monsters or giants to humans. We are green in color, with scales like snakes covering our whole bodies. I have heard many humans say that we are terrifying, yet I don't agree. We are huge creatures, larger than any other creatures to walk this Earth. We have yellow eyes that shine through the night and enable us to see at any hour of the day or night. Our gills allow us to swim underwater and let us live in our underwater cave.

In addition to all this, we have a special gift that no other monsters have. We are able to use magic to cast a deep spell on the citizens of the city. We are able to cause a deep stillness in the city that even the strongest of men cannot stir from. It is a strange gift to learn but now that we have mastered it, it has been very beneficial to my mother and I in our quest for food.

Back to where I was. I have heard rumors through the land that a man is coming to Danesland to try to conquer me. The people say that he is stronger than all men, with the strength of a thousand bulls and the ability to conquer anyone or anything with whom he comes into contact. Of course, this is something I have worried about when I heard of his existence. This man, Beowulf, is said to be coming to Danesland to kill me and my mother. We will see if he can find me because I will use my magic first.

I wish him the best of luck, as it will be a battle to the death.

Author's Note:
This is an excerpt from the tale of Beowulf. In this retelling, I decided to tell the story of Grendel, a vicious monster from Danesland, attack on Beowulf. In this story, Beowulf, the strongest of the men in the land came to Danesland to save them from this vicious monster. He planned to fight Grendel from the time he came to Danesland and I thought it would be interesting to tell this story of Grendel's Attack from Grendel's point of view in the mode of a diary.

This storytelling method will allow readers to see the backstory of Grendel and see just why he is so angry. I used many details from the reading as well as changing the original story up just a little bit.

Bibliography
Book Title: The Story of Beowulf
Story Title: Grendel Attacks
Author: Stafford Riggs
Year: 1933