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.