XXXII

widely hath scattered!” So, woeful of spirit one after all Lamented mournfully, moaning in sadness By day and by night, till death with its billows Dashed on his spirit. Then the ancient dusk-scather 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 The hoard in the earth, where old he is guarding The heathenish treasure; he’ll be nowise the better. So three-hundred winters the waster of peoples Held upon earth that excellent hoard-hall, Till the forementioned earlman angered him bitterly: The beat-plated beaker he bare to his chieftain And fullest remission for all his remissness Begged of his liegelord. Then the hoard was discovered, The treasure was taken, his petition was granted The lorn-mooded liegeman. His lord regarded 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 The footprint of foeman; too far had he gone With cunning craftiness close to the head of 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: Gleaming and wild he oft went round the cavern, All of it outward; not any of earthmen Was seen in that desert. Yet he joyed in the battle, Rejoiced in the conflict: oft he turned to the barrow, Sought for the gem-cup; this he soon perceived then That some man or other had discovered the gold, The famous folk-treasure. Not fain did the hoard-ward Wait until evening; then the ward of the barrow Was angry in spirit, the loathèd one wished to Pay for the dear-valued drink-cup with fire. Then the day was done as the dragon would have it, He no longer would wait on the wall, but departed Fire-impelled, flaming. Fearful the start was To earls in the land, as it early thereafter To their giver-of-gold was grievously ended.