35 Shall be reaved of its riches:  the ring-cleansers slumber
          Who were charged to have ready visors-for-battle,
          And the burnie that bided in battle-encounter
[77] O’er breaking of war-shields the bite of the edges
          Moulds with the hero.  The ring-twisted armor,
       40 Its lord being lifeless, no longer may journey
          Hanging by heroes; harp-joy is vanished,
          The rapture of glee-wood, no excellent falcon
          Swoops through the building, no swift-footed charger
          Grindeth the gravel.  A grievous destruction
       45 No few of the world-folk widely hath scattered!”
          So, woful of spirit one after all
          Lamented mournfully, moaning in sadness
          By day and by night, till death with its billows

{The fire-dragon}

          Dashed on his spirit.  Then the ancient dusk-scather
       50 Found the great treasure standing all open,
          He who flaming and fiery flies to the barrows,
          Naked war-dragon, nightly escapeth
          Encompassed with fire; men under heaven
          Widely beheld him.  ’Tis said that he looks for[4]
       55 The hoard in the earth, where old he is guarding
          The heathenish treasure; he’ll be nowise the better.

{The dragon meets his match.}

          So three-hundred winters the waster of peoples
          Held upon earth that excellent hoard-hall,
          Till the forementioned earlman angered him bitterly: 
       60 The beat-plated beaker he bare to his chieftain
          And fullest remission for all his remissness
          Begged of his liegelord.  Then the hoard[5] was discovered,
          The treasure was taken, his petition was granted

{The hero plunders the dragon’s den}

          The lorn-mooded liegeman.  His lord regarded
       65 The old-work of earth-folk—­’twas the earliest occasion. 
          When the dragon awoke, the strife was renewed there;
          He snuffed ’long the stone then, stout-hearted found he
[78] The footprint of foeman; too far had he gone
          With cunning craftiness close to the head of
       70 The fire-spewing dragon.  So undoomed he may ’scape from
          Anguish and exile with ease who possesseth
          The favor of Heaven.  The hoard-warden eagerly
          Searched o’er the ground then, would meet with the person
          That caused him sorrow while in slumber reclining: 
       75 Gleaming and wild he oft went round the cavern,
          All of it outward; not any of earthmen
          Was seen in that desert.[6] Yet he joyed in the battle,
          Rejoiced in the conflict:  oft he turned to the barrow,
          Sought for the gem-cup;[7] this he soon perceived then

{The dragon perceives that some one has disturbed his treasure.}