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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.⁶⁰... 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.

He had by no means chosen freely to seek out the dragon’s hoard and bring such evil upon himself. Instead, misery drove the slave to flee the hateful blows of warriors. Homeless and troubled by guilt, he made his way inside. And soon a terrible fear seized the intruder.⁶⁰... The underground chamber held all kinds of ancient treasures. Some man of noble spirit, I know not who, had hidden them there long ago. They were the vast, costly heirlooms of a noble people. In earlier times, death had taken all those people away except one warrior, who outlived the rest. He was utterly lonely and mourned his lost friends. He hoped death would delay, so he might enjoy the ancient treasures for just a little longer. The hill stood very close to the ocean waves and the coastal headlands, and no one could approach it.

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.

And the guardian of rings carried the heavy treasures of plated gold into the cave and spoke a few words: ‘Earth, hold safe the treasures of warriors, since heroes can no longer hold them. Listen! Long ago, good men took these treasures from you. Deadly warfare and terrible suffering carried away all the men of my people who gave up their lives. They had known the joys of the hall. And they saw the joys of heaven. I have no one left to carry a sword or polish the gold-plated cup, the treasured drinking vessel. The brave men have hurried elsewhere. The hard helmet decorated with gold will lose its gold plating. Those who should polish the helmet and prepare it for grim battle now sleep in death. Likewise, the coat of mail endured battle, battered over shields by the bite of iron spears. Now the mail decays after its warrior’s death. Nor can the ringed armor travel far and wide in the service of heroes after the war-chief’s passing.

‘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.

‘There is no joy from harps, no music from stringed instruments. No fine hawk glides through the hall, and no swift horse paws the ground in the courtyard. And deadly suffering has swept away many generations of men.’ So, sad at heart, he mourned his sorrowful fate, one man grieving for many. He wept in misery day and night until the overwhelming waters of death touched his heart. And the ancient destroyer of the twilight found the treasure, once a source of joy, lying open and unprotected. This was the creature who seeks the cliffs in flames, the bare and hateful dragon who flies at night, wrapped in fire. And the people of the earth greatly fear him. And he is to seek out the hoard in the earth, where, old in years, he guards the heathen gold. Yet the gold does him no good.

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.

And so the mighty monster, the scourge of the people, controlled the treasure hall for three hundred years on earth. Then a man stirred the dragon’s anger. The man had carried off the plated drinking cup to his lord and offered it to make peace with him. So the treasure was discovered, and the hoard of rings was plundered. The miserable man was granted a favor. And his lord saw this ancient work of human hands for the first time. Then the dragon awoke, and the conflict began again. He sniffed along the stone, and the bold creature saw his enemy’s footprint. The man had crept too far forward, close to the dragon’s head. So anyone not doomed to die may easily escape suffering and exile if the Ruler of the world favors him. The guardian of the treasure searched eagerly along the ground. He wanted to find the man who had robbed him while he slept. Fiercely and furiously, he circled the whole outside of the burial mound, but no one was in the wilderness. Still, he delighted in the thought of fighting and battle. Sometimes he returned to the cave and searched the treasure vessels. Soon he discovered that someone had searched through the gold, the great heap of treasure. The guardian of the treasure waited in distress for evening to come. The keeper of the burial mound was furious. The loathsome creature longed to avenge the theft of his precious drinking cup with fire and flame. Then, as the dragon wished, daylight began to fade. He would wait inside no longer, but came out wrapped in deadly fire. This was a terrible beginning for the people of that country. And the ending would bring sorrow to their lord, the giver of treasure.