Well, years later when Beowulf himself was king, a huge dragon was guarding treasure. A thief trying to steal a jewelled cup disturbed the dragon, who immediately flew into a furious rage.

According to the poem, Scyld is laid to rest in a boat, surrounded by treasures. Although there is almost certainly no direct link between the events described in Beowulf and the burial ...

In response, Beowulf organizes a party to kill the beast ... While there may not be any treasure-hoarding serpents living in nearby caves, there are similar, strange creatures that share ...