Storytelling for Week 12: Fighting the Dragon

And so we waited anxiously outside the terrible creature's den, peering through the dark at the terrible dragon's den.  Our leader, Beowulf, a man who's stature, bravery, and fury rivaled that of the beast, drew us near.

"I am at the end of the years and wish to test my mettle one last time.  Help me if I fall, but leave this dragon to me," he fearlessly said.

I stood at the edge of the soon to be battlefield, waiting to see what would come of this meeting of titans.  Beowulf roared out into the night, issuing a challenge to the beast that lurked in the dark of its cave.  Out of fear, our comrades fled, leaving only myself to stand guard in case our leader was bested.  The night was silent as we waited for the challenge to be met, all sounds muffled by the freshly fallen snow and no sounds came from the sleeping woods.

While our Beowulf's roar cut through the quiet, the response that came rumbled the ground, shaking everything near to its core.  From its den, a monstrous black dragon sprung from its hiding, its eyes flashing green and flames seeping from its maw.  The dragon quickly spewed flames at its combatant, who rolled to safety albeit being slightly singed.  To avoid getting cooked from afar, our leader rushed in close and worked the dragon's body over with slashes from his sword, only to find nothing could pierce its black carapace.  Realizing that he could not overpower the beast, Beowulf darted around the massive body of the slower combatant, hoping to find a vital spot unprotected by those impenetrable scales. 

Black Dragon.  Web Source

This kept up for what seemed like forever, neither opponent giving an inch or taking one.  However, Beowulf's age had begun to show.  His breath became ragged and his arms weighed down by fatigue.  As it seemed like the momentum had shifted in the dragon's favor, I took my queue and entered the fray with a yell.  As Beowulf turned, glad to see me join in battle, the dragon used his distraction and smashed him with his large tail.  Rage welled up inside me to see such a fell blow on my comrade.  With a surge of inhuman strength and speed I rushed to the dragon and drove my sword through his eye deep into his head, killing the beast instantly.

I rushed to where Beowulf was flung and held his dying body in my hands.  He looked at me and smiled, his eyes slowly glazing over.

"I leave this all in good hands," he said in his final breath, his soul leaving this earthly plane.  And with that, the great warrior Beowulf was no more.

Author's Note: For this storytelling, I used parts of Battle with the Dragon and The End of Beowulf from the Beowulf Unit.  I told this story from the perspective of Wiglaf, Beowulf's favorite earl.  I left everything other than Beowulf unnamed because I plan on further adapting this for my storybook so I figured I would knock out two birds with one stone here.  The story starts with Beowulf and company hunting down a dragon who rampaged on their village, burning down buildings.  For the most part I left the bulk of my version the same as the original.  Where things change is when Wiglaf joins the battle.  Originally, the two fight against the dragon until Beowulf is struck and Wiglaf finishes off the dragon.  I wanted to add a bit more depth so Wiglaf was partially responsible for Beowulf's death.   There is also a drawn out conversation between Beowulf and Wiglaf but I decided to cut that out.

Bibliography: The Story of Beowulf by Strafford Riggs (1933).  Web Source: Beowulf