The mighty warrior Beowulf, who had been king of the Geats, had defeated countless foes, both monsters and men. But now he lay dying, poisoned by a dragon that had harrowed his people, a dragon he had slain with only the aid of a young warrior Wiglaf by his side. Wiglaf tended the envenomed wound that was to be Beowulf’s death-blow, and at the king’s bidding, went into the barrow to retrieve some of the dragon’s hoard for Beowulf to see.