And it was by no means of his own accord or self-will that he sought
out the craft of the hoard of the dragon who inflicted such evil upon
himself, but rather because being compelled by miseries, the slave
fled the hateful blows of heroes, he that was shelterless and the man
troubled by guilt penetrated therein. And soon it came to pass that
an awful terror arose upon the guest. [65]... And in the earth-house
were all kinds of ancient treasures, such as I know not what man of
great thoughts had hidden there in days of old, the immense heirlooms
of some noble race, costly treasures. And in former times death had
taken them all away, and he alone of the warriors of the people who
longest lingered there, full lonely and sad for loss of friends was
he, and he hoped for a tarrying, that he but for a little while might
enjoy the ancient treasures. And this hill was quite near to the
ocean-waves, and to the sea-nesses, and no one could come near thereto.
And he the guardian of rings carried inside the cave the heavy
treasures of plated gold, and uttered some few words: 'Do thou,
O earth, hold fast the treasures of earls which heroes may not
hold. What! From thee in days of yore good men obtained it. Deadly
warfare and terrible life-bale carried away all the men of my people
of those who gave up life. They had seen hall-joy. And they saw the
joys of heaven. I have not any one who can carry a sword or polish
the gold-plated cup, the dear drinking-flagon. The doughty ones have
hastened elsewhere. The hard helmet dight with gold shall be deprived
of gold plate. The polishers sleep the sleep of death who should make
ready the battle grim, likewise the coat of mail which endured in the
battle was shattered over shields by the bite of the iron spears and
perishes after the death of the warrior. Nor can the ringed byrny go
far and wide on behalf of heroes, after the passing of the war-chief.
'No joy of harping is there, nor mirth of stringed instruments, nor
does the goodly hawk swing through the hall, nor doth the swift horse
paw in the courtyard. And death-bale hath sent away many generations
of men.' Thus then, sad at heart he lamented his sorrowful plight,
one for many, and unblithely he wept both day and night until the
whelming waters of death touched his heart. And the ancient twilight
scather found the joyous treasure standing open and unprotected, he
it was who flaming seeks the cliff-sides, he, the naked and hateful
dragon who flieth by night wrapt about with fire. And the dwellers
upon earth greatly fear him. And he should be seeking the hoard upon
earth where old in winters he guardeth the heathen gold. Nor aught
is he the better thereby.
And thus the scather of the people, the mighty monster, had in
his power the hall of the hoard three hundred years upon the earth
until a man in anger kindled his fury. For he carried off to his
liege-lord the plated drinking-flagon and offered his master a
treaty of peace. Thus was the hoard discovered, the hoard of rings
plundered. And a boon was granted to the miserable man. And the
Lord saw for the first time this ancient work of men. Then awoke
the dragon, and the strife was renewed. He sniffed at the stone,
and the stout-hearted saw the foot-mark of his foe. He had stepped
too far forth with cunning craft near the head of the dragon. So may
any one who is undoomed easily escape woes and exile who rejoices in
the favour of the Wielder of the world. The guardian of the hoard,
along the ground, was eagerly seeking, and the man would be finding
who had deprived him of his treasure while he was sleeping. Hotly
and fiercely he went around all on the outside of the barrow--but
no man was there in the waste. Still he gloried in the strife and
the battle working. Sometimes he returned to the cavern and sought
the treasure vessels. And soon he found that one of the men had
searched out the gold, the high heap of treasures. The guardian of
the hoard was sorrowfully waiting until evening should come. And very
furious was the keeper of that barrow, and the loathsome one would
fain be requiting the robbery of that dear drinking-stoup with fire
and flame. Then, as the dragon wished, day was departing. Not any
longer would he wait within walls, but went forth girt with baleful
fire. And terrible was this beginning to the people in that country,
and sorrowful would be the ending to their Lord, the giver of treasure.