Beowulf
Born 495AD - Died 583AD
Beowulf was an actual man that lived but the record of one of his adventures was embellished.
Beowulf was a pagan man who worshipped Norse gods and goddesses.
Also see:
Beowulf Full Text
Wikipedia on Beowulf
Wikipedia on Beowulf Hero
Zoologically applied terms in Beowulf
Beowulf and the creatures of Denmark
Christianity in Beowulf
From Anglo-Saxon Records
Beowulf and Dinosaurs
Jeremy Brown 2006