Never a greater one Of earls o'er the earth have I had a sight of Than is one of your number, a hero in armor. The epic poem Beowulf- the most important surviving piece of Anglo-Saxon literature - tells the tale of a renowned warrior and his battles with mythical beasts across the Scandinavian world. Spanning Beowulf's proud and adventurous life, the poem chronicles his fight with the monster Grendel in aid of the Danish King Hrothgar; his undersea struggle with Grendel's vengeful mother; and fifty years later, as king of Geatland, his final confrontation with a mightily annoyed dragon. Entertaining and epic, Beowulf is at its heart a riveting and lyrical adventure story.