Final answer:
Unferth is a character in the epic poem Beowulf who challenges Beowulf's strength and bravery. He brings up a swimming contest between Beowulf and Breca, but Beowulf disputes the claim. Unferth also attempts to fight Grendel but is unsuccessful.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unferth is a character in the epic poem Beowulf. He is a warrior from the kingdom of the Danes and is initially portrayed as a rival to Beowulf. Unferth challenges Beowulf's strength and bravery but later comes to admire him.
The story Unferth brings up is about a swimming contest between Beowulf and Breca. Unferth claims that Beowulf lost the contest and questions his bravery. However, Beowulf refutes the claim and presents his version of the story, stating that he indeed won the contest.
In the epic Beowulf, Unferth also attempts to fight Grendel, the monster terrorizing the kingdom. However, he fails and is depicted as a less formidable warrior than Beowulf.