ABSTRACT
The great kingdom of the Geats came into the hands of Beowulf. He ruled it well for half a century. But when he was an aged and veteran king, a certain Dragon began to exert its power in the darkness of night. In its upland lair it kept guard over a treasure in a huge funeral barrow, under which ran a secret passage. Some man wandering near that pagan hoard found his way in and stole a great jewelled cup. The Dragon, tricked by a thief's cunning while it slept, made its loss known; and the neighbourhood soon discovered how enraged it was.
