Beowulf has just killed Grendel and hung the infamous claw in Heorot's hall. Everyone under King Hrothgar's rule is celebrating Beowulf's triumph. In the midst of the celebration a court singer begins to sing the glory of the Danish people of many years ago. The song tells of a battle between Danes and Frisians. The leader of the Frisians, Finn, engages in battle and ends up with the defeat of most of his army. However, Finn ends up killing Hnaef, the leader of the Danes. Hengest, Hnaef's successor, makes peace with Finn and the rest of the Danes end up living with the Frisian people. An important part of this episode to note is that Finn's wife Hildeburh is also Hnaef's sister. Hnaef and Hildeburh's son were both killed in battle, and their burial is described in grotesque detail. A member of the Frisian tribe gives a sword to Hengest who has long debated this new alliance with the Frisians. Hengest decides to take revenge and declares war again. It is unclear who exactly kills Finn, but he is murdered by a member of the Danish people. Hildeburh is taken prisoner and brought back to her homeland by the Danes (lines 1065-1161). Thus ends the story that scholars call “the Finn episode.” About ninety lines, Finn's episode is mysterious and his intent is unknown. The singer might as well have started singing "He's a Jolly Good-Fellow." Why does the singer stop and sing something so dark in the middle of celebrating Grendel's death? What point is the author of Beowulf trying to make with this seemingly unrelated story? Some think that this episode is “considered the main point of the Beowulf story” (Klaeber 544-549). However, others have in… middle of paper… AG “Design and Motivations in the Finn Episode.” Essays and studies. University of California Press. (1943): 239-242. PrintCamargo, Martin. "The Finn Episode and the Tragedy of Revenge in Beowulf." Philological studies. 78.5 (1981): 120-134. Print.Drout, Michael. "Blood and Deeds: The Inheritance System in Beowulf." Philological studies. 104.2 (2007): 199-226. Print.Green, Alexandre. “The opening of Finn's episode in Beowulf.” PMLA. 31.4 (1916): 759-797. Print.Gummere, Francesco. "Beowulf: Gummere Translation." Harvard Classics. 49. (1910): n. page. Network. December 6, 2011. .Klaeber, p. "Remarks on the Finn episode." Journal of English and Germanic philology. 14.4 (1915): 544-549. Print.Malone, Kemp. "The Finnish Episode in Beowulf." Journal of English and Germanic philology. 25.2 (1926): 157-172. Press.