European dragon than with a lizard-like or dinosaur-like body as in later belief (though the dragon of Beowulf does show several features that would later become popularized with dragons–namely, it breathes fire–lives underground, and collects treasure). The most famous lindworm in Norse and Germanic mythology is Fafnir The Germanic stories of lindworms have them guarding a treasure hoard. The Fafnir lindworm guarded earthen mounds full of ancient treasure. The treasure was cursed and brought ill to those who later possessed it. Sea serpents are also called orms in Nordic languages, wyrms in Old English and worms in Middle English. These "dragons" are
Sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology abode of gods and spirits. Scholars presume that publicly revered trees such as that at the temple in Uppsala were regarded as counterparts to the mythic world tree Yggdrasil. The present section divides particularly notable examples into texts discussing the religious activities of the ancient Germanic peoples involving trees and groves ("Germanic paganism") and their appearance in the myths of the Germanic peoples, particularly the North Germanic peoples ("Germanic mythology"). Sacred trees and groves are mentioned throughout the history of the ancient Germanic peoples, from their earliest attestations among Roman scribes to references made by medieval monks. In Norse mythology,