JRR Tolkien's version of 'Beowulf' to be published for the first time.

Tolkien wrote his own translation of the Old English epic poem back in 1926, but never bothered to have it published. Ninety years later that's about to change, as HarperCollins will publish The Lord of the Rings author's interpretation next month.

HarperCollins won't say how Tolkien approached the debatable beginning of Beowulf. The Old English 'Hwæt'--the very first word in the poem--has varied in translations over the years, from "listen" to "hark," "so" to "behold." How Beowulf should begin is a matter of fierce debate amongst Old English scholars.

What's not debatable? Smaug is just Beowulf's dragon on 'roids. Even the best writers steal borrow.