by Neil Gaiman
129
There are A COUPLE OF GUARDS guarding the way. Old Wiglaf is standing beside Guthric, who is holding something wrapped in cloth at his side.
OLD WIGLAF
Well, I really do not know, Guthric.
GUTHRIC
It is vitally important that I see the King, Lord Wiglaf. I am certain that Beowulf wants to see what I have brought to him.
OLD WIGLAF
Hmm…I, um, I’ll tell you what, Guthric, you leave it with me and I’ll make sure his majesty gets to see it. Yes?
GUTHRIC
(keeping his temper but the effort is showing)
No! Look, I have brought something for King Beowulf’s eyes. I’m not going to give it to just anyone and watch it vanish into thin air.
OLD WIGLAF
I am not just anyone. I am the King’s chamberlain and I am certainly not going to
GUTHRIC
For the last time, you doddering old coot! I have a gift for the King, and--
But he is interrupted in his turn by King Beowulf. Who entered unnoticed.
KING BEOWULF
And you may at least show it to the king, Guthric.
GUTHRIC
Thank you, your majesty. It was found on the moors, a gift fit for a King.
He offers the goblet, still wrapped in oilcloth, to the King. King Beowulf unwraps the cloth.
KING BEOWULF
A fine piece, Guthric. Long it is since I have seen something as fine, and old. You found it, you say?
GUTHRIC
One of my slaves found it. It is a gift for you, my lord.
KING BEOWULF
It reminds me of something…
GUTHRIC
I thought perhaps we could talk again about my sister’s bride-price.
CUT TO:
130 EXT. GUTHRIC’S HALL - SUNSET
130
Guthric draws his horse up outside his hall. He’s in a good mood, and is singing happily to himself…breaks off as he realizes there’s no-one there to meet him.
GUTHRIC
(calling out)
Cain! You good-for-nothing! Help me off my horse!
(to himself)
If he’s run away again…
There’s a pause. No-one comes. The place is in silence. Smoke…or mist…hangs on the air.
GUTHRIC
Hello? Anybody here? Gretchen? Children? Wilferth?
But there is silence.
Guthric slides off his horse, and walks into his
131 COURTYARD
131
There, in the courtyard, stand, in expressions of UTTER TERROR, as if caught trying to flee, standing and lying, CHARCOAL-BLACKENED, CARBONIZED CORPSES of Lady Guthric, children, slaves…but no Cain.
Guthric stares at them in horror. He reaches out and touches his wife’s carbonized arm…
It drops off and CRUMBLES to charcoal.
Guthric looks around in terror and then he grits his teeth, summons what courage he has, draws his sword, and goes into his Hall.
132 INT. GUTHRIC’S HALL - NIGHT
132
The hall is in darkness. The only source of illumination is low firelight, and the dim dusk light coming through the open door. Guthric’s sword glitters gold in the firelight. He walks in nervously, looking around, whirling around to stop someone attacking him from behind…and then the large door to the hall swings closed with a loud SLAM.
And the room is dark.
GUTHRIC
Who’s there?
Silence.
And then, from one corner of the room, there is a glimmer of fire and smoke, illuminating something gold that we can barely see.
GUTHRIC
Come out and face me like a man!
DRAGON
(a low, inhuman, laughing, then)
I was asleep when he came to my barrow. The thief. He took something that didn’t belong to him.
The dragon’s voice is sly, insinuating, gentle. Guthric cannot see him…perhaps just two golden lights glitter in the darkness -- the dragon’s eyes.
GUTHRIC
Oh god. He was a slave, I’m sorry, they’re all thieves. If it’s not nailed down, they’re off with it.
(trying to fake it)
Um…what…what kind of thing was it that he took? Maybe it’s still around…I could look for it--
DRAGON
I think you know exactly what it was. I can smell it on you, man-thing. I want it back.
GUTHRIC
I don’t exactly have it on me at the present moment right now. If you could give me a day…
DRAGON
Who has it? Who has my precious prize?
GUTHRIC
What are you? What did you do to my household?
There is a GROWL -- the dragon is not pleased at all, and a thin stream of flame hisses out from the darkness where the dragon is, burning half of Guthric’s face and hair. Guthric SCREAMS in pain and fright.
DRAGON
You are trying my patience. Who has it?
Guthric cowers on the floor, his attitude the same as that of Cain, when Guthric was whipping him.
GUTHRIC
I gave it to the King. To Beowulf! Please, don’t hurt me! Please!
There is a moment of silence.
DRAGON
Beowulf?
The dragon LAUGHS.
Then the door opens, letting in a little moonlight, but not showing us the Dragon, and it closes again. There is silence in the hall. Guthric begins to sob--
GUTHRIC
(sobbing and babbling in his relief at still being alive)
Oh god. Oh god. Oh thank you, thank you thank you god. Thank you Odin. Thank you Christ Jesus. Thank you Thor of the thunder. Thank you. Oh god oh god…
Then from outside we hear A ROARING so loud that the walls begin to SHAKE.
And the walls of the hall begin to glow with a bright orange, golden light. The dragon is bathing the hall in fire, but Guthric does not realize that, as he gets to his feet trying to work out what’s going on…and then he…and we understand…as the entire hall becomes, in the twinkling of an eye…an exploding fireball.
CUT TO:
133 EXT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - WALKWAY - NIGHT
133
The night sky shines brightly.
King Beowulf stands on the castle roof, staring up at the constellations. He is alone. He SIGHS, and goes inside…
134 INT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - SPIRAL STAIRWAY - NIGHT
134
He walks along, down the narrow winding stairs of his castle, descending slowly.
135 INT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - MEAD HALL - DAY
135
About TWENTY THANES are standing around in the hall, partying. There is something insipid about their partying though -- the Thanes of 50 years ago had more fun. These guys are -- well, some of them are watching and betting on a gambling game being played with ivory cubes, rune-dice, others are talking by the fire.
A couple of them -- BONSTAN and FRODA -- are looking at the souvenirs hanging on the wall: Beowulf’s Bow; The hilt of the giant sword that “killed Grendel’s Mother”; a huge shield; the wolf-skin/bear skin that Beowulf wore when he was younger…
The Dragon Cup is on display in the hall, taking pride of place, beside the throne.
Old Wiglaf wanders over to Bonstan and Froda, who are staring at the things on the wall.
OLD WIGLAF
That sword hilt, that’s the hilt of the sword that the King used to destroy Grendel’s mother. He cut Grendel’s head off with it, and Grendel’s blood burnt the brave blade, leaving nothing but the hilt, and a thumb’s span of blade. They say it was made by the gods themselves.
BONSTAN
And the bow? Was that from the fight against Grendel too?
OLD WIGLAF
That comes from later, in the war against the Franks. No other man alive there is but Beowulf who can bend that bow.
FRODA
You are
jesting with us.
OLD WIGLAF
No, not at all.
FRODA
Well, I am a pretty strong fellow--
And over Wiglaf’s protests, he reaches the bow down from the wall. Then he tries to bend it, and fails, hurting his finger on the string of the bow.
LAUGHING, Bonstan takes it from him and tries to bend it, and perhaps others of them try and fail -- through all this Old Wiglaf is saying things like--
OLD WIGLAF
Please, just put it back, men, boys, please--
King Beowulf likes to enter unannounced it seems, as he has done so yet again, and he says:
KING BEOWULF
My old bow, eh? Put it back, Froda. It belongs on the wall.
FRODA
Your majesty -- can you still bend it? The war with the Franks was thirty years back.
He passes the bow to King Beowulf, who looks at it, for a moment -- will he try to bend it? We wonder -- and then King Beowulf puts it back on the wall.
KING BEOWULF
Thirty years is a long time, Froda. And a warrior does not bend his bow unless he plans to kill something -- or someone…but we are at peace, now…the days of heroes are done.
BONSTAN
Mead, sire?
Golden Mead pours into the dragon’s golden cup…and he sees, golden and distorted, his own reflection.
DISSOLVE TO:
136 THE DREAM OF GRENDEL’S MOTHER
136
In Beowulf’s dream, the Jan Svankmajer-esque doll of young Beowulf is facing a monster -- a huge, golden, monster woman, being animated by stop motion. The monster picks up the Beowulf doll when suddenly the DREAM SHIFTS TO…
Grendel’s Mother and Young Beowulf, in real life, kissing each other desperately, passionately, underwater.
They break the surface and Grendel’s mother begins LAUGHING, in slow motion, water drops glistening around her and SUDDENLY IT’S…
King Beowulf, who has replaced Young Beowulf…his old fingers touch her cheeks and the swell of her breast.
GRENDEL’S MOTHER
You took my son, Beowulf. Give me another.
KING BEOWULF
But you are a monster. Your sons are monsters.
GRENDEL’S MOTHER
And you’re a monster too. Part bear, part wolf, all monster. Now, give me a son.
HARD CUT TO:
137 INT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - MEAD HALL - MORNING
137
CLOSE ON: King Beowulf’s face. He’s just woken up, sweating and scared, his head next to the tipped-up Dragon’s cup.
KING BEOWULF
(shouting)
No!
He looks around, upset, his face and hair sticky with last-night’s spilled mead. Then he realizes that it was just a dream.
THANES are waking too -- looks like everyone passed out last night. Bright shafts of sunlight pierce the gloom of the hall. The fire is almost out. Everyone has a hang-over.
King Beowulf gets up, picking up the Dragon’s Cup almost absentmindedly as he does so.
OLD WIGLAF
My lord?
KING BEOWULF
My head, Wiglaf. And such dreams. We’re not as young as we were, eh?
OLD WIGLAF
Bad news, my lord.
King Beowulf is immediately every inch the King and warrior.
KING BEOWULF
What? Friesian ships sighted?
Old Wiglaf shakes his head. He points to the courtyard outside…
BEOWULF’S POV: The courtyard contains REFUGEES. They are MEN, WOMEN and CHILDREN, who are in bad shape -- they are standing, just, although many of the children are being carried. They look at us with hollow, scared, eyes. The nightmare has happened. They are, to a greater or lesser degree, burnt -- they have fled from burning huts and villages. Some of them are carrying treasured possessions they rescued from the flames. They are standing in lines, dumbly.
Beowulf rushes out into the
138 COURTYARD
138
where the refugees await him.
KING BEOWULF
Who did this? Who did this?!
A WOMAN WITH A BABY steps forward. Her name is HELGA.
HELGA
It came from the sky in the night, my lord. It burnt our houses and farms. I lost my husband in the flames that took our hearth-acre.
MAN #1
I saw our whole village burn. I heard my friends screaming as they died.
MAN #2
I saw it, your majesty, flaming like a comet in the night sky, vomiting fire and smoke.
KING BEOWULF
What is this thing you talk of?
HELGA
A dragon.
The OTHER BURNT AND DISENFRANCHISED TOWNSFOLK are nodding, now, and repeating, dully, “a dragon”.
KING BEOWULF
(holding the dragon’s cup up)
Why? Why?!
No-one answers. We see Cain among the people, but he stares at the ground, too scared and brutalized to say anything at all.
KING BEOWULF (CONT’D)
I cannot give you back your homes or your loved ones. But I can kill your monster for you.
And then a small child steps forward…
CHILD
The dragon spoke to me. After it burned our house. It said that someone had taken its precious prize. Someone had stolen a goblet from its hoard. That was why it was burning the land. It said I had to tell people that.
(a beat, then)
It was creepy.
We look at King Beowulf as the penny drops, and he turns and walks away. The people stare at him, unspeaking, with dead eyes, as their King walks away, holding the dragon’s golden goblet.
CUT TO:
139 INT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - MEAD HALL - DAY
139
The Dragon’s golden cup smashes into the far wall, where there are a number of objects, including some primitive glass. It hits them with a LOUD CRASH.
We look up from the mess to King Beowulf, his face is set hard.
King Beowulf is standing in front of his wall of souvenirs. The thanes are standing around dumbly, staring at him, nervously, not saying anything.
Then Beowulf begins to pull his souvenirs down from the wall. His bow, his shield, his sword, even the hilt-and-two-inches-of-blade of the Grendel-blade, and the bear-wolf fur cloak. They CLATTER down from the wall onto the floor.
Then he turns to the thanes.
KING BEOWULF
I am going to kill a dragon. Who is with me?
None of the thanes says anything.
KING BEOWULF
What? None of you want glory? None of you want gold?
After a hesitation, Froda steps forward--
FRODA
I’m with you, majesty.
BONSTAN
And I!
And with that the rest of them, shamed, step forward.
CUT TO:
140 INT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - KING BEOWULF’S QUARTERS - DAY
140
Ursula is putting King Beowulf’s old battle-robe on him, the bear-wolf-skin. It is old, but still magnificent.
URSULA
I thought you were done with war and battles, my lord.
KING BEOWULF
There is never an end to battle, Ursula. I was sick of war by the time I was seven years old.
URSULA
But not sick of glory, my lord?
KING BEOWULF
How many men do you know who have killed dragons?
URSULA
Could not someone else do this?
King Beowulf shakes his head, and seems as if he is going to say something, then changes his mind.
CUT TO:
141 EXT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - COURTYARD - DAY
141
King Beowulf comes out, with guards and thanes behind him. He looks out at the refugees in the courtyard. He speaks loudly, saying:
KING BEOWULF
Does any man or woma
n among you know anything of this dragon? Where it comes from? What kind of beast it is?
No-one answers. King Beowulf gets angry.
KING BEOWULF
(shouting at them)
Someone must know. Where do we start looking? In the uplands? In the fells? On the moor? If you know anything -- ANYTHING -- tell me. The beast will be sleeping now. These creatures come at night.
He grabs a PEASANT by the neck, pulls him to his feet.
KING BEOWULF
Do you know anything? Do you?
He flings the man to the ground.
His gaze sweeps across the refugees, sitting apathetically in the courtyard. There is a slight scuffling at the far end, and then, awkwardly, Cain gets to his feet, and raises his hand.
He is terrified.
CUT TO:
142 EXT. THE GEAT MOORS - DAY
142
King Beowulf, Old Wiglaf and eleven thanes on horseback are riding along. On the last horse, tied to the horse to stop him falling off, is Cain looking miserable.
It is snowing. Everyone is cold and miserable. Wiglaf spurs his horse, until he is beside Beowulf. Then he says.
OLD WIGLAF
We’re too old for this. We need a hero.
KING BEOWULF
There are no more young heroes. The age of heroes is over. There’s just us.
