Beowulf (with a little Grendel on the side)

I've been subjected to some very bad cinema over the years on this subject. However, the actual story is opaque and awkward so to some degree I forgive the wild variations of interpretation to which it has been subjected. This is not so much a story that was meant to be read, but one that should have been told by drunken folks with lots of impromptu acting (and beer).

Of note are the interloping Christian references which are absurd to the point of hilarity (or just plain annoying depending on your temperament). If the Grimm's Fairly Tales didn't bother you too much with this sort of nonsense you'll be just fine. They reminded me of an out-of-place Greek Chorus, or the back-up singers from Little Shop of Horrors depending on the context.