_In which an old king sacrificed his life for the good of his
people._
We told you that Beowulf slew the Fire Dragon, but we did not
mention that during the conflict the hot and fierce beast seized
Beowulf’s neck in his teeth, and bit him so terribly that his blood
covered Beowulf’s bright and shining armor.
While the Dragon was biting at the neck of the great king, his
brave and faithful Wiglaf struck his sword into the monster’s body.
The Dragon relaxed his hold of Beowulf long enough for the old king
to escape death at the time, and to plunge his own dagger into the
throat of the fiery creature.
After the fight was over, poor Beowulf, old and exhausted, fell on
the ground, and the wound in his neck began to swell and to burn
with the Dragon’s poison. It sank into his heart and he grew cold
and knew he was going to die.
“My faithful Wiglaf,” said the dying king, “in the Dragon’s cave
are many treasures, gold, silver, jewels, armor and precious gems.
I would give them to thee before I die. Get them for me.” So Wiglaf
left Beowulf and ran many miles until he came to the Dragon’s cave
in the mountain. Here he found many sacks of treasure, but he could
carry only one at a time. With this he hastened to Beowulf who was
fast growing weaker and weaker. When he reached the old king, he
poured the treasure at his feet.
Beowulf took the gold collar from around his neck, and his helmet
and his ring and his coat of mail and gave them to Wiglaf as his
last gift, and bade the young warrior to use them well.
“Thou art the last of the race. My kinsmen have all gone before me,
and I follow them soon.” These were his last words, and Beowulf lay
very still and cold before his weeping friend.
Now that the fight was over and the Fire Dragon lay dead all the
servants who had deserted the king in battle, came back. Wiglaf met
them with scorn and drove them away, so that they wandered homeless
and beggared over the land. Everywhere they went they heard the
words: “Death is better than a life of shame.”
Then all the people came to see their dead king as he lay on the
ground. Wiglaf told them of the conflict and also of the treasures
in the cave. Sorrowfully, they went and gathered every bit of the
cave’s treasures and brought them forth. To the top of a high hill
they carried the body of Beowulf and piled the treasures around
it. Then for days and days they heaped stones over the king’s body
until the pile was so high that it could be seen from out at sea.
And to this day people call it Beowulf’s Mound.