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Hrothgar burst forth in uncontrollable emotion: “O Beowulf, help us if you can! Help is only to be found in you. But yet you know not the dangerous place you must explore it if you seek the fiend in her den. I will richly reward your valour if you return alive from this hazardous journey.”

Beowulf was touched by the sorrow of the grey-haired king, and replied, “Arise, my lord; let us scan the track left by the monster, for I promise you I will never lose it, wheresoever it may lead me.” So Hrothgar, Beowulf and their men tracked Grendel’s mother to her lair under a lake. Beowulf prepared himself for battle, and went into the lake. He was swiftly detected and attacked by Grendel’s mother. However, she was unable to harm Beowulf through his armour and dragged him to the bottom of the lake. In a cavern containing Grendel’s body and the remains of men that the two had killed, Grendel’s mother and Beowulf engaged in fierce combat.

At first, Grendel’s mother appeared to prevail. Beowulf, finding that his sword could not harm his foe, discarded it in fury. But Grendel’s mother had a magic sword which she kept in that cavern. Beowulf grabbed the magical sword, and with it won her. Travelling further into the lair, Beowulf discovered Grendel’s dying body and severed its head. The blade of the magic sword melted like ice when it touched Grendel’s toxic blood, until only the hilt was left. This hilt was the only treasure that Beowulf carried out of cavern, which he presented to Hrothgar upon his return to Heorot. Hrothgar gave Beowulf many gifts, including the magic sword, his family’s heirloom.

Beowulf returned home and eventually became king of his own people. He ruled the kingdom for many years. During that time he performed many great deeds.

One day, fifty years after Beowulf’s battle with Grendel’s mother, a slave stole a golden cup from the lair of a dragon. When the dragon saw that the cup had been stolen, it left its cave in a rage, burning everything in sight. Beowulf and his warriors came to fight the dragon, but Beowulf told his men that he would fight the dragon alone and that they should wait on the barrow. Beowulf descended to do battle with the dragon but found himself outmatched. His men, upon seeing this display and fearing for their lives, crept back into the woods. One of his men, however, Wiglaf, who found great distress in seeing Beowulf’s plight, came to Beowulf’s aid. The two killed the dragon, but Beowulf was mortally wounded.