In the Old English epic Beowulf, a thief steals a golden cup from the dragon’s hoard.
The dragon has guarded a buried treasure hoard for centuries. A desperate servant, punished by his master, enters the barrow and takes a single cup. When the dragon notices the missing treasure, it begins attacking the surrounding land, burning homes and killing people.
The attacks lead the aged Beowulf, now king of the Geats, to confront the dragon. Beowulf and the young warrior Wiglaf fight together, and Wiglaf helps deliver the fatal blow after Beowulf is wounded.
The stolen cup is sometimes confused with the dragon’s entire treasure or with a sword used in the fight. The poem specifically identifies the missing object as a cup from the hoard.