Section XXXI

Beowulf declares that King Hrothgar rewarded him generously and that he now gives all these gifts to his uncle Higelac as a token of loyalty and affection, acknowledging that Higelac is his only surviving kinsman.

Beowulf presents the battle armor and helmet that Hrothgar gave him, explaining that it originally belonged to King Heregar and was passed down through the Danish royal line, not given to Heregar's son despite his love for him.

Beowulf reports that Hrothgar also granted him two matched stallions and other treasures, exemplifying how a kinsman should behave without treachery or cunning.

The narrator observes that Higelac held his sister's son Beowulf as his most valued possession and showed him mutual favor and remembrance of benefits.

Beowulf gave the precious necklace and horses that Queen Wealhtheow had given him to Higelac's wife Hygd, where it adorned her after the feast.

The passage describes Beowulf as a war-famous hero of great strength and honor who did not kill companions in drunken carousing and maintained a noble temperament, having been blessed by God with exceptional hand-strength.

The narrator recounts that the Geats once considered Beowulf worthless and idle, and Higelac showed him little honor at feasts, but these slights were eventually requited by his later glory.

Higelac gave Beowulf the ancient heirloom of Hrethel (a sword) and seven thousand in treasure, along with manor and lordship, making their possessions and lands held in common with special spacious dominions granted to Beowulf.

After Higelac's death and the murder of Higelac's son Heardred by War-Scylfing forces, the extensive dominions passed to Beowulf's keeping, establishing his kingship.

Beowulf ruled the Geats wisely as a manor-ward king for fifty winters until a dragon appeared on gloomy nights to guard a treasure-hoard on a high stone-cliff.

The passage introduces a dragon that guards a hidden treasure in a high stone-cliff, with an unknown path beneath it, and mentions that someone entered the mountain and seized part of the heathen hoard.