With the help of your shoulder partner, predict what will happen in the story of Beowulf. On a separate sheet of paper, fill in the blanks of the story. I will call on each of you to help tell the story.
Beowulf
King Hrothgar, the ruler of the Danes, is troubled by the rampages of a demon named Grendel. Every night, Grendel ___________1___________, killing and sometimes ________ 2 _______. Hrothgar was a great warrior in his time, but now he's ____________3 ______________. Fortunately, a young Geat warrior named Beowulf travels to Herot Hall from his own lands overseas to lend a helping hand.
After explaining that he owes Hrothgar a favor because Hrothgar helped out his father, Beowulf offers ______4______. King Hrothgar _________5___________. The next time Grendel attacks Herot Hall, Beowulf is waiting for him. Choosing to _________6___________ Grendel, Beowulf _______7_______.
_______8________, Grendel flees into the wilderness and ________9_______. Beowulf, Hrothgar, and their followers throw a wild party to celebrate. Hrothgar also gives Beowulf many presents and treasures to reward him for ______10_________.
Grendel has an _________11________ who decides to _______12_________. While all the warriors are sleeping off the party, she ____________13__________. But when the warriors wake up, _______14______, a cave underneath a nearby lake.
Beowulf, his Geatish warriors, and some of Hrothgar's Danish warriors track her there. Beowulf dives into the lake and ________15_________, where he _______ 16_______. Seizing a nearby sword from _____17_____, he ___________18__________, even though _____19______. When everyone sees that Beowulf ________ 20_______, there's even more partying and gift-giving.
Finally, the Geats take their leave of the Danes; Beowulf says goodbye and sails back to Geatland, where he is a _________21_________. Eventually, Hygelac and all his relatives _____22______, and Beowulf becomes the King of the Geats. Beowulf _____23_____ for fifty years, ______24_______ all the other tribes around them, especially the Swedes. He is an honorable and heroic warrior-king, rewarding his loyal thanes (warrior lords) and taking care of his people.
But ___25____, Beowulf finally meets his match: _____26____, who begins ____27______ and ____28_____. Beowulf takes a group of eleven trusty warriors, plus the thief who knows where the dragon's lair is, to the barrow for a final showdown with the monster. When they see the___29______, all but one of the warriors flee in terror. Only one man, Wiglaf, __30_____. With Wiglaf's help and encouragement, Beowulf is able to ____31____, but he is mortally wounded in the process.