2270 dæges and nihtes, oð þæt dēaðes wylm hrān æt heortan. Hord-wynne fond eald ūht-sceaða opene standan, sē þe byrnende biorgas sēceð nacod nīð-draca, nihtes flēogeð 2275 fȳre befangen; hyne fold-būend wīde gesāwon. Hē gēwunian sceall hlāw under hrūsan, þǣr hē hǣðen gold warað wintrum frōd; ne byð him wihte þē sēl. Swā se þēod-sceaða þrēo hund wintra 2280 hēold on hrūsan hord-ærna sum ēacen-cræftig, oð þæt hyne ān ābealh mon on mōde: man-dryhtne bær fǣted wǣge, frioðo-wǣre bæd hlāford sīnne. Þā wæs hord rāsod, 2285 onboren bēaga hord, bēne getīðad fēa-sceaftum men. Frēa scēawode fīra fyrn-geweorc forman sīðe. Þā se wyrm onwōc, wrōht wæs genīwad; stonc þā æfter stāne, stearc-heort onfand 2290 fēondes fōt-lāst; hē tō forð gestōp, dyrnan cræfte, dracan hēafde nēah. Swā mæg unfǣge ēaðe gedīgan wēan and wræc-sīð, sē þe waldendes hyldo gehealdeð. Hord-weard sōhte 2295 georne æfter grunde, wolde guman findan, þone þe him on sweofote sāre getēode: hāt and hrēoh-mōd hlǣw oft ymbe hwearf, ealne ūtan-weardne; nē þǣr ǣnig mon wæs on þǣre wēstenne. Hwæðre hilde gefeh, 2300 beado-weorces: hwīlum on beorh æthwearf, sinc-fæt sōhte; hē þæt sōna onfand, þæt hæfde gumena sum goldes gefandod hēah-gestrēona. Hord-weard onbād earfoðlīce, oð þæt ǣfen cwōm; 2305 wæs þā gebolgen beorges hyrde, wolde se lāða līge forgyldan drinc-fæt dȳre. Þā wæs dæg sceacen wyrme on willan, nō on wealle leng bīdan wolde, ac mid bǣle fōr, 2310 fȳre gefȳsed. Wæs se fruma egeslīc lēodum on lande, swā hyt lungre wearð on hyra sinc-gifan sāre geendod. XXXIII. BEOWULF RESOLVES TO KILL THE FIRE-DRAKE.