The Heroic Deeds of Beowulf
Every night for 12 years, the palace of Hrothgar, king of the Danes, received the visit of a marsh monster by the name of Grendel, who attacked and killed Hrothgar’s men. At last, a hero, Beowulf, swears to kill Grendel or die in the attempt. That night, when the monster enters the palace, Beowulf fights him, tears off his arm, and the monster flees and dies. The following night there was a great feast, but unexpectedly, while everyone slept, Grendel’s mother descended upon the palace to avenge her son’s death. The next morning, Beowulf follows her trail to the lake where she lived, plunges into the murky waters, and kills her with a great sword—so heavy that only a hero could wield it—which he had found on the bed of the lake. The waters boiled with blood and Beowulf’s followers believed he had died. But in the end he emerges at the surface carrying the heads of Grendel and his mother. Beowulf becomes king and later dies at a very advanced age, fighting yet another monster: a fire-breathing dragon that had guarded a treasure in an ancient burial mound for centuries.