He is a great chieftain, the _heorth-geneat_ (hearth-companion, or vassal) of a king named Higelac.

He assembles his companions, goes over the road of the swans (the sea) to Denmark, or Norway, states his purpose to Hrothgar, and advances to meet Grendel.

After an indecisive battle with the giant, and a fierce struggle with the giant's mother, who attacks him in the guise of a sea-wolf, he kills her, and then destroys Grendel.

Upon the death of Hrothgar he receives his reward in being made King of the Danes.
With this occurrence the original poem ends: it is the oldest epic poem in any modern language.

At a later day, new cantos were added, which, following the fortunes of the hero, record at length that he was killed by a dragon.