Wiglaf is the only warrior to help Beowulf fight the dragon in the Old English poem Beowulf.
By the final episode, Beowulf is an aging king who goes to confront a dragon after a thief disturbs its treasure hoard. He brings a band of seasoned warriors, but when the dragon attacks, all except Wiglaf flee. Wiglaf remains loyal to his lord and joins the battle despite the flames.
Wiglaf is a young warrior of the Waegmunding clan and a kinsman of Beowulf. He rebukes the fleeing retainers, then protects himself with his shield while approaching the dragon. His attack helps expose the monster, allowing Beowulf to deliver the fatal blow. The fight kills Beowulf and leaves Wiglaf as the chief surviving witness.
Readers sometimes confuse Wiglaf with Unferth, who appears earlier as a Danish courtier, or with Heardred, a Geatish king connected with Beowulf's earlier life.