“What’s that strange noise?” Gabriel asked.
“I think it’s that weeping willow tree,” said Belladonna, and she was smiling to herself secretly in the darkness. “It sounds as if it’s crying, don’t you think? Almost as if it’s in pain.”
“You don’t believe that trees have feelings, do you?” he said.
“Oh yes, they do,” she replied. “Trees have feelings. And especially that one, I promise you.”
In fifth-century Denmark, a murderous monster stalks the night, and only the great prince of the Geats has the strength and courage to defeat him …
ear, and listen well, my friends, and I will tell you a tale that has been told for a thousand years and more. It may be an old story, yet, as you will discover, it troubles and terrifies us now as much as ever it did our ancestors, for we still fear the evil that stalks out there in the darkness and beyond. We know that each of us in our time, in our own way, must confront our fears and grapple with this monster of the night who, given a chance, would invade our homes, and even our hearts, if he could.
So roll back the years now, back to the fifth century after the birth of Christ, and come with me over the sea to the Norse lands we now know as Sweden and Norway and Denmark, to the ancient Viking lands of the Danes and the Geats, the Angles and the Jutes. This will be our here and now, as this tale of courage and cruelty unfolds, as brave Beowulf battles with the forces of darkness, first with that foul fiend Grendel, then with his sea-hag of a mother, and last of all, with the death-dragon of the deep.
The story begins as all stories do, before it begins, for there is always a mother before a mother, and a king before a king. In Denmark all the great lords, those royal descendants of Scyld, that great and good king, followed in his footsteps and stayed strong against their foes and loyal to their friends. The kingdom prospered. From their conquests the land grew rich, so that the people flourished and were happy. Feared by their enemies, loved by their allies, the kingdom of the Danes became great and powerful in the world.
Then the lord Hrothgar came to the throne, son of the old King Healfdene, great grandson of Scyld, and he was to become the greatest warrior king of them all. Fierce in battle, he fetched back home more treasures from his conquests than had ever before been seen or even dreamt of in Denmark. But he was generous too and a good father to his people, so that they obeyed him always gladly. Hearing of his increasing glory in battles, more and more warriors came to join him. It seemed to them and to him that there could never be an end to all his power and wealth. The kingdom was safe from its enemies, the people warm at their hearths and well fed. Truly it was a land of sweet content.
To celebrate these years of prosperity and plenty, Hrothgar decided he would raise for his people a huge mead-hall. It must, he declared, be larger and more splendid than any mead-hall ever built. Only the best timbers were used, only the finest craftsmen. At Hrothgar’s bidding they came from all over Denmark to construct it, so that in no time at all the great hall was finished. It was truly even more magnificent than he had ever imagined it could be. Heorot he called it, and at the first banquet he gave there, Hrothgar, by way of thanks, gave out to each and every person rings and armbands of glowing gold. No king could have been kinder, no people as proud and as happy. Night after night they feasted in Heorot, and listened to the music of the harp and song of the poet. And every night the poet told them that story they most loved to hear: how God had made the earth in all its beauty, its mountains and meadows, seas and skies; how he had made the sun and the moon to light it, the corn and the trees to grow on it; how he gave life and being to every living creature that crawls and creeps and moves on land or in the sea or in the air. And man too he made to live in this paradise. Around the warming hearth they listened to the poet’s story, enraptured, enthralled and entranced.
But there was another listener. Outside the walls of Heorot, in the dim and the dark, there stalked an enemy from hell itself, the monster Grendel, sworn enemy of God and men alike, a beast born of evil and shame. He heard that wondrous story of God’s good creation, and because it was good it was hateful to his ears. He heard the sweet music of the harp, and afterwards the joyous laughter echoing through the hall as the mead-horn was passed around. Nothing had ever so enraged this beast as night after night he had to listen to all this happiness and harmony. It was more than his evil heart could bear.
Bibliography of Michael Morpurgo’s Works
It Never Rained (1974)
Long Way Home (1975)
Thatcher Jones (1975)
Friend or Foe (1977)
Do All You Dare (1978)
What Shall We Do with It? (1978)
All Around the Year (with poems by Ted Hughes) (1979)
The Day I Took the Bull by the Horn (1979)
The Ghost-Fish (1979)
Love at First Sight (1979)
That’s How It Is (1979)
The Marble Crusher and Other Stories (1980)
The Nine Lives of Montezuma (1980)
Miss Wirtles Revenge (1981)
War Horse (1982)
The White Horse of Zennor and Other Stories from Below the Eagle’s Nest (1982)
Twist of Gold (1983)
Little Foxes (1984)
Why the Whales Came (1985)
Tom’s Sausage Lion (1986)
Conker (1987)
Jo-Jo the Melon Donkey (1987)
King of the Cloud Forests (1987)
Mossop’s Last Chance (1988)
My Friend Walter (1988)
Albertine, Goose Queen (1989)
Mr Nobody’s Eyes (1989)
Old Sticky (1989)
Jigger’s Day Off (1990)
Waiting for Anya (1990)
And Pigs Might Fly! (1991)
Colly’s Barn (1991)
The Sandman and the Turtles (1991)
The Marble Crusher (1992)
Martians at Mudpuddle Farm (1992)
The King in the Forest (1993)
The War of Jenkins’ Ear (1993)
Arthur, High King of Britain (1994)
The Dancing Bear (1994)
Snakes and Ladders (1994)
Stories from Mudpuddle Farm [1] (1994)
Blodin the Beast (1995)
Mum’s the Word (1995)
Stories from Mudpuddle Farm [2] (1995)
The Wreck of the Zanzibar (1995)
The Butterfly Lion (1996)
The Ghost of Grania O’Malley (1996)
Robin of Sherwood (1996) republished as Outlaw (2012)
Sam’s Duck (1996)
Farm Boy (1997)
Cockadoodle-doo, Mr Sultana! (1998)
Escape from Shangri-La (1998)
Joan of Arc (1998) republished as Sparrow (2012)
Red Eyes at Night (1998)
Wartman (1998)
Kensuke’s Kingdom (1999)
The Rainbow Bear (1999)
Wombat Goes Walkabout (1999)
Billy the Kid (2000)
Black Queen (2000)
Dear Olly (2000)
From Hereabout Hill (2000)
The Silver Swan (2000)
Who’s a Big Bully Then? (2000)
Mairi’s Mermaid (2001)
Out of the Ashes (2001)
Toro! Toro! (2001)
Cool! (2002)
The Last Wolf (2002)
Mr Skip (2002)
The Sleeping Sword (2002)
Cool as a Cucumber (2003)
Gentle Giant (2003)
Private Peaceful (2003)
The Best Christmas Present in the World (2004)
Dolphin Boy (2004)
Little Albatross (2004)
The Orchard Book of Aesop’s Fables (2004)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (2004)
The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips (2005)
Fox Friend (2005)
I Believe in Unicorns (2005)
Alone on a Wide Wide Sea (2006)
Beowulf (2006)
On Ange
l Wings (2006)
Singing for Mrs Pettigrew: a Story-maker’s Journey (2006)
Born to Run (2007)
The Mozart Question (2007)
Alien Invasion! (2008)
Animal Tales (2008)
Cock-a-doodle-doo! (2008)
Hansel and Gretel (2008)
Kaspar, Prince of Cats (2008)
Pigs Might Fly! (2008)
This Morning I Met a Whale (2008)
The Voices of Children (2008)
The Best of Times (2009)
The Kites are Flying! (2009)
Mudpuddle Farm: Six Animal Adventures (2009)
Running Wild (2009)
An Elephant in the Garden (2010)
It’s a Dog’s Life (2010)
Not Bad for a Bad Lad (2010)
Shadow (2010)
Little Manfred (2011)
The Pied Piper of Hamelin (2011)
Homecoming (2012)
Where My Wellies Take Me (with Clare Morpurgo) (2012)
A Medal for Leroy (2012)
Beauty and the Beast (2013)
Pinocchio by Pinocchio (2013)
About the Author
Michael Morpurgo MBE is one of Britain’s best-loved writers for children. He has written over 100 books and won many prizes, including the Smarties Prize, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Whitbread Award. His recent bestselling novels include A Medal for Leroy, Shadow and Born to Run.
His novel War Horse has been successfully adapted as a West End and Broadway theatre play and a major film by Steven Spielberg. A former Children’s Laureate, Michael is also the co-founder, with his wife Clare, of the charity Farms for City Children.
About the Illustrators
PETER BAILEY was born in India and grew up in London. Since graduating from the Brighton School of Art, his extraordinary career has seen him illustrate over 100 books by some of Britain’s best-known authors and poets, including Philip Pullman, Allan Ahlberg, Dick King Smith and Alexander McCall Smith. For twenty years he also taught illustration at the Liverpool School of Art and many of his students have gone on to great success.
CHRISTIAN BIRMINGHAM is one of the brightest stars of children’s book illustration, known for the beauty, power and luminosity of his work.
Described by the Guardian as “a modern-day Degas”, Christian has collaborated several times with Michael Morpurgo, on titles including Shadow and Dear Olly.
MICHAEL FOREMAN is one of the most successful and well-loved children’s book illustrators of his generation. Among many other honours he has won the Kate Greenaway Award, the Smarties Prize (both for books which he wrote and illustrated) and the Children’s Book Award. His friendship with Michael Morpurgo (“the other Michael”) has led to many classic collaborations, including Kaspar, Prince of Cats and Little Manfred.
QUENTIN BLAKE CBE is one of the most iconic illustrators of our time, whose warm, spontaneous and witty style is both instantly recognisable and utterly inimitable. He is known for his collaboration with writers such as Russell Hoban, Joan Aiken, Michael Rosen, John Yeoman, David Walliams, and, most famously, Roald Dahl. He has also illustrated classic books, including A Christmas Carol and Candide, and created much-loved characters of his own, including Mister Magnolia and Mrs Armitage. In 1999 he was appointed the first ever Children’s Laureate and in 2013 he received a knighthood for ‘services to illustration’ in the New Year’s Honours.
EMMA CHICHESTER CLARK studied at Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College. As well as winning the Mother Goose Award, she has been nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal, Kurt Maschler Award and Blue Peter Book Award. Emma has created many popular picture books including the Melrose and Croc, Blue Kangaroo and Wagtail Town series.
A Medal for Leroy 9780007487523
For interviews, videos and more, visit www.michaelmorpurgo.com
‘My Father is a Polar Bear’ text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1999, first published in Family Tree by Mammoth in 1999
Meeting Cezanne text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2004, first published by Hay Festival Press in 2005
‘Muck and Magic’ text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1995, first published by William Heinemann Ltd and Mammoth in 1995
Homecoming text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2006, first published as “Singing for Mrs Pettigrew” in Singing for Mrs Pettigrew: A Story-maker’s Journey by Walker Books Ltd
“My One and Only Great Escape” text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2002, first published in Ten of the Best School Stories with a Difference! by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd in 2002
A Medal for Leroy text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2012, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2012
The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2005, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2005
Billy the Kid text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2000, first published by Pavilion Books Limited in 2000
The Wreck of the Zanzibar text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1995, first published by Egmont Books Ltd in 1995
Farm Boy text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1997, first published by Pavilion Books Ltd in 1997
The Silver Swan text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2000, first published by Doubleday, a division of Random House Children’s Books in 2000
It’s a Dog’s Life text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2001, first published by Egmont UK Limited in 2001
‘Didn’t We Have a Lovely Time?’ text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2010, first published in Country Life in 2010
Rainbow Bear text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1999, first published by Doubleday, a division of Random House Children’s Books in 1999
Conker text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1987, this edition first published by Egmont UK Ltd in 2011
The Butterfly Lion text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1996, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 1996
Running Wild text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2009, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2009
The Dancing Bear text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1994, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 1994
Born to Run text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2007, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2007
The Last Wolf text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2002, first published by Doubleday, a division of Random House Children’s Books in 2002
“Half a Man” text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2005, first published in War by Pan Macmillan in 2005
‘What Does It Feel Like?’ text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1994, first published in In Between by Methuen Children’s Books in 1994
The Mozart Question text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2007,
first published by Walker Books Ltd in 2007
The Best Christmas Present in the World text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2004, first published by Egmont Books Limited in 2004
For Carlos, A Letter From Your Father text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2003, first published in Lines in the Sand by Frances Lincoln Limited in 2003
Shadow text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2010, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2010
War Horse text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1982, first published by Kaye & Ward Ltd in 1982
Private Peaceful text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2003, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2003
An Elephant in the Garden text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2009, first published by Walker Books Ltd in 2010
The Kites are Flying text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2003, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2003
Friend or Foe text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1977, first published by Macmillan Education Ltd in 1977
‘The Giant’s Necklace’ text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1982, first published in The White Horse of Zennor and other stories by Kaye & Ward Ltd in 1982
This Morning I Met a Whale text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2008, first published by
Walker Books Ltd in 2008
The Saga of Ragnar Erikson text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2010,
first published on the Edinburgh International Book Festival website in 2010
‘Gone to Sea’ text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1982, first published in The White Horse of Zennor and other stories by Kaye & Ward Ltd in 1982
Dolphin Boy text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2004,
first published by Andersen Press Ltd in 2004
Alone on a Wide Wide Sea text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2006, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2006
Why the Whales Came text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1985, first published by William Heinemann Ltd in 1985
Kaspar, Prince of Cats text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2008, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2008
Kensuke’s Kingdom text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1999, first published by Egmont UK Ltd in 1999
Dear Olly text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2000, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2000
Cockadoodle-doo, Mr Sultana! text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 1998, first published by Scholastic Ltd in 1998
Aesop’s Fables text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2004, first published by Orchard Books in 2004
Gentle Giant text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2003, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2003
On Angel Wings text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2006, first published by Egmont UK Limited in 2006
The Best of Times text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2009, first published by Egmont UK Limited in 2009
Pinocchio text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2013, first published by HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2013
The Pied Piper of Hamelin text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2011, first published by Walker Books Ltd in 2011
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2004, first published by Walker Books Ltd in 2004
Hansel and Gretel text copyright © Michael Morpurgo 2008, first published by Walker Books Ltd in 2008