© JRR Tolkien

Hwæt! Welcome spear-Danes, clan-Kings and other fans of near-impenetrable Anglo-Saxon adventure.

To celebrate the release of JRR Tolkien's new translation of the epic poem Beowulf, we're giving away five copies of the book to warriors gúðréouw (that's battle-fierce) enough to answer the following questions, drawn from Anglo-Saxon culture, language and history. Get all three right to be in with a chance.

Email your answers to editorial@prospect-magazine.co.uk with the subject line "Tolkien's Beowulf" or message them to us on our Facebook page.

Read Josephine Livingstone's review of the new translation from the latest issue of Prospect

Question 1:

Which of these is a genuine section from Beowulf?

A:

"kissed then, the king the upright noble,the chieftain of the Scyldings...and took him by the neck; tears fell from him,from the silver and gold whiskers...the man was so dear to himthat he the welling of his breast could not hold back"

or B:

"Now Beowulf, lord of the spear-Danes,keeper of promises; lifter of cups,Tell us where to go; that...Danes, Saxons all, fighting men,We might hunt of the boar"

Question 2:

What's the solution to this fiendish Old English riddle, taken from the Anglo-Saxon poetry collection the Exeter Book? We want the names of both the "guest" and the "servant," please.

I know a noble guest, dear to princes,whom grim hunger cannot harm,nor hot thirst, nor age nor illness.If kindly the servant always tend him,he who must go along on the journey;safe and certain they will find at homefood and joy and countless kin;but sorrow if the servant obeys his lord badly,his master on their journey; nor will brother fear brotherwhen unharmed they leave quickly the bosom of their kin,mother and sister. Let whoever willwith fitting words name the guest or the servantI speak of here.

Question 3

What is the meaning of the Old English word "héafodland?"

A: A strip of land in a field left for turning a plough

B: The name of a small hamlet near modern day Luton

C: The part of a chieftain's courtyard where guests were permitted to visit him