What would it be like the other way around? I wondered. Upside up? Or zigzag ways, assuming that was even a direction… what would that be like? Upside down, from our present perspective, would definitely be upside up. I was sure of that.
Right?
Right.
And a zigzag would be just that. A zigzag across. Or… would it be the zig OR the zag, depending on your point of view? Because a zig, if you weren’t aware, is quite different than --
Maybe what I really meant was perpendicular?
I suddenly felt sick.
Uggh… just drop it.
And quit screwing around.
You’re not going to jump.
“You’re not going to jump,” Roy agreed. “Give it up.”
Yeah, give it up.
“No, I guess not,” I said. I had come close, though. Certainly closer than Roy, at any rate, I thought. He didn’t even try. I sat back and smiled, feeling much better about myself, and then…
Flap. Flap. Flap. Flap.
Flap. Flap. Flap. Flap.
“What the hell is that, Wally!” Roy was bent over the hole, looking down. His eyes were wide.
It came, again.
Flap. Flap. Flap. Flap.
Flap. Flap. Flap. Flap.
“What the fu- ?”
And, again.
Flap. Flap. Flap. Flap.
Flap. Flap. Flap. Flap.
“Monster. Wally, get back!”
And then, just like that, it was upon us. A massive and terrible beaked head reared up through the hole and said,
“Skraww! Skraww! Skraww!”
And though I knew it was no giant chicken (chickens CAN’T fly, right? It’s not that they won’t; they just CAN’T. Right???), and it was no monster (at least not the way we think monster when we say MONSTER), it was beyond all doubt the largest and most terrible bird we had ever seen.
“Skraww!”
SIGURD THE VOLSUNG
1. Sigurd the Volsung
Day broke, and Hjordis saw that many ships had landed. Hjordis and her bondmaid exchanged clothes and she told the slave to use her name. Vikings came ashore from the ships and came to the battlefield. They found the two women and brought them before their leader, Alf the son of King Hjalprek. He asked them who they were and the bondmaid answered for both, telling them what had happened. At Alf’s request, she led them to the king’s treasure, and the Vikings took away to their ships. Alf took the two women with him and they sailed back to his father’s kingdom.
After he had been back a short time, his mother asked him why it was that the fairer of the two women he had brought back wore less gold and poorer clothing, and Alf said he had noticed that her manner was not that of a slave.
He tested the two women and established that Hjordis was nobler in her upbringing, and when she saw this, she told him the whole story. Alf ask to marry her. Shortly afterwards she gave birth to Sigmund’s son.
They brought the boy before King Hjalprek, who was pleased by the boy’s piercing eyes, and he was sprinkled with water and named Sigurd. He was raised at King Hjalprek’s court, and his mother married Alf.
Sigurd’s foster father was Regin, son of Hreidmar. He taught Sigurd many skills and accomplishments, and also different languages. One day Regin asked Sigurd if he knew how much wealth his father had owned and who guarded it. Sigurd told him that Alf and Hjalprek watched over it. Regin asked him if he trusted them and Sigurd said it was better for them to look after it for the moment since they could guard it better than he could.
Another time Regin mocked Sigurd for acting like a stable boy or a vagrant. Sigurd said this was not true, since he could have anything he wanted. Regin told him to ask for a horse, and Sigurd said he would do it when he pleased. He went to Hjalprek and Alf and asked for a horse, and Hjalprek told him to take the one he wanted most.
The next day he went to choose his horse. On the way, he met an old man with a long beard who asked him where he was going. Sigurd explained, and asked the man to advise him. They drove the horses into the River Busiltjorn and all but one swam ashore. Sigurd chose the one that remained, who was a grey, young and big. The bearded man told him that the horse was of the lineage of Sleipnir, and then vanished. Sigurd named the horse Grani.
Again Regin mocked Sigurd for his poverty, but he told the boy that he knew where he could gain unparalleled riches. Sigurd asked where this wealth was and who its guardian was. Regin told him that the guardian was Fafnir the Dragon and that he lay upon Gnitaheath. Sigurd had heard of this serpent, and knew that no one dared fight him because he was so huge and fierce. Regin told him that he was no bigger than other snakes, or so it would have seemed to his Volsung forefathers, and he criticised Sigurd for showing little of their courage. Sigurd said that he had yet to prove himself, and asked why Regin urged hi so strongly to fight the dragon. Regin replied with the story of the Otter’s Ransom and how his brother Fafnir took the cursed gold and went into the wilderness where he became a dragon.
Sigurd demanded Regin make a sword for him so he could do great deeds and kill the dragon. Regin forged a sword and gave it to Sigurd, who tested it by striking the anvil with the blade, which broke. He flung down the remaining shards and told Regin to make a better sword.
Regin made another sword and gave it to Sigurd, who tested it like the first, with the same result. Sigurd told Regin that he was as deceitful as his ancestors. He went to his mother, who greeted him, and they drank together. Sigurd asked her to give him the broken sword of his father. She did so and he took it to Regin and told him to make a sword worthy of the shards. Regin grew angry and went to his forge. He made a sword from the fragments of Gram, and drew it from the forge where it seemed that flames leapt on its edges. He took it to Sigurd and dared the boy to break it. Sigurd too the sword and hacked at the anvil with it, cutting the anvil straight through. Then he went to the river and dropped a tuft of wool into it, and placed the sword in the water downstream from the tuft. The sword cut the wool in two. Sigurd went home thinking he had a good blade.
Regin told him that he must go and fight Fafnir now, but Sigurd told him that first, he would seek vengeance for his father’s death. Sigurd went to Alf and Hjalprek and asked them to give him ships and crews to search out the sons of Hunding and let them know that not all the Volsungs were dead. Hjalprek provided a large fleet with a great dragon-ship for Sigurd.
2. Sigurd’s Revenge
They set sail and after a few days met a storm, which some said had been stirred up by the witchcraft of the sons of Hunding. As they passed a craggy headland, a man called out to the ships and asked the name of their leader. The crew tell him and the man said that his renown had spread far. He asked to join them and told them he was called Fjolnir, or Hnikar.
After they took him on board the storm subsided and they sailed on until they came to Hundland, the kingdom of Hunding’s sons. They harried and pillaged far and wide, and soon King Lyngvi got word of the coming of Sigurd the Volsung.
The king gathered an army and went out to fight Sigurd. The battle was fierce and many men died. It went on a long time. Then Sigurd advanced past the banners, holding Gram in his hand. Warriors fled before him, and no one could withstand him. Then he met the sons of Hunding and Sigurd cut Lyngvi in half, and then slew his brother Hjorvard, then the rest of the sons of Hunding, and the best part of the army was slaughtered. Then they found that Fjolnir had vanished, and many believed him to be Odin.
Sigurd returned home with glory and plunder, and the kings prepared a banquet to welcome him. Then Regin came to Sigurd and reminded him of Fafnir. Sigurd said he would fulfil his promise.
3. Sigurd and Fafnir
Sigurd and Regin rode to Gnitaheath and they came to the track along which Fafnir would crawl to drink from the top of a cliff that was thirty fathoms high. Sigurd complained that Regin had said that Fafnir was no more than a snake, but it was now clear that he was much larger. Regin advised Sigurd to dig a ditch in the middle of th
e path and sit in it, and when the serpent crawled to drink, to stab him in the heart through the soft underbelly. Sigurd asked what would happen if the dragon’s blood would fall on him but Regin evaded the question and accused him of cowardice.
Sigurd rode onto the heath while Regin departed hastily. Sigurd dug a ditch in the middle of Fafnir’s path, but as he was doing so, an old man came up to him and asked him what he was doing. Sigurd explained but the old man told him to dig several ditches for the dragon’s blood to run into, then sit in one and stab up at the serpent’s heart. The man disappeared and Sigurd did as he had suggested.
Fafnir went to drink, and the earth shook all around. The dragon blew poison across his path, but Sigurd sat calmly in his ditch. When the dragon crawled over the pit, Sigurd thrust his sword Gram in under the dragon’s left shoulder so it sank in up to its hilt. Sigurd jumped out of the ditch and plucked the sword from the dragon, bloodying his arms to the shoulders. The dragon thrashed his head and tail about, destroying everything in his way.
Knowing the wound was mortal, Fafnir asked Sigurd who he was and who were his kindred, but Sigurd replied with riddles. Finally, Fafnir wheedled out of him his name and his father’s name. The dragon asked him many other questions, and told him that his treasure would be Sigurd’s death. Fafnir died and Sigurd went to take his treasure.
Regin came to Sigurd and congratulated him for his deed, but also said that Sigurd had killed his brother, although he was far from blameless himself. Sigurd cut out the dragon’s heart. Regin drank Fafnir’s blood and asked Sigurd to roast the heart and give it to him to eat. Sigurd did so, and when he thought it was done, Sigurd tested it with his finger, and put his finger in his mouth. When he did this, he immediately knew the language of birds, and heard the nuthatches talking in a nearby bush. They said that it would be better for Sigurd to eat the dragon’s heart and to kill the treacherous Regin, then take Fafnir’s gold and ride to Hindarfjoll, where Brynhild slept.
At this, Sigurd turned and cut off Regin’s head with Gram. He ate some of the dragon’s head and kept the rest. Then he rode up Fafnir’s trail and came to the dragon’s lair where he found much gold, a sword named Hrotti, Fafnir’s helm of awe, a golden mail coat, and much besides. So much gold was there he thought it would have been too much for three normal horses to carry. He put it into two big chests and put them on Grani’s back, then took Grani by the bridle, but the horse stood stock still until Sigurd leapt astride him.
4. Brynhild
Sigurd rode for many miles before reach Hindarfjoll, and then he turned south, towards Frakkland. Ahead on the mountain, he saw a light, as if a great fire was burning. He went towards it and found a rampart of shields with a banner fluttering above. Sigurd went over the rampart and saw a figure clad in armour lying there asleep. He took the helmet off the figure and saw that it was a woman. Her mailcoat was so tight it seemed to have grown into her flesh. He cut her free with Gram and she awoke. Her name was Brynhild. She asked if he was Sigurd, he said he was, and added that he had heard that she was the daughter of a great king. She told him that two kings had fought long ago, an old warrior-king of the Goths named Hjalm-Gunnar, who Odin had promised victory, and another named Agnar, who was young and strong. She had given Agnar victory against Odin’s wishes and Odin said that she would never again be victorious, but would marry. She vowed that she would only marry a man who knew no fear. Then Odin stabbed her with a thorn that put her into a deep sleep from which none could waken her.
They drank together and Brynhild instructed Sigurd concerning the runes and warfare and other matters. They pledge that they would marry and the next day Sigurd rode on until he came to the farm of Hlymdale, in Svavaland, where Brynhild had been fostered by Heimir. Her sister was named Bekkhild, and she had stayed at home, learning needlework and other womanly skills, later marrying Heimir. Heimir and Bekkhild had a son named Alsvid, who greeted Sigurd well and he stayed there a long time with much honour for killing the dragon.
Brynhild came home sometime after this and she stayed in a bower with her women, where she was delivered of a girl child named Aslaug. But Sigurd knew nothing of this. Now Brynhild embroidered a tapestry with the deeds of Sigurd, although he knew nothing of her coming until he was hawking in the forest and his bird flew to a high tower where Brynhild and her women were dwelling. The next day Sigurd returned and greeted her, and he sat beside her and kissed her. But Brynhild said that they were not fated to be together, that she would continue to be a shieldmaiden while Sigurd would marry Gudrun, daughter of Gjuki. Sigurd swore that this would not be so, and he would marry Brynhild or no other. She said that she was of a like mind, and Sigurd gave her Andvari’s ring to seal the agreement. Brynhild and Bekkhild were the daughters of King Budli, and their brother was Atli, who later ruled over Hunland.
5. The Gjukungs
Sigurd went away with the warriors Alsvid had given him and they joined the host of Isung of Bertangaland, to whose lands came Thjodrek, accompanied by the Gjukungs Gunnar and Hogni. The two armies fought, and the fighting went on for many days, until at last it came to combat between Sigurd and Thjodrek. Neither warrior could defeat the other, until Thjodrek borrowed the sword Mimung, which belonged to his companion Vidga, son of Volund, and was Volund’s work. Although Sigurd refused to fight Thjodrek if he bore that sword, his opponent tricked him and defeated him with the blade. Sigurd accepted Thjodrek’s suzerainty and he joined the retinue of Thjodrek’s companions Gunnar and Hogni.
The Gjukungs lived in their father’s kingdom south of the Rhine, and their father was King Gjuki, their mother Grimhild, their other brothers Guttorm, Gernoz, and Gislher, and their sister was named Gudrun. Hogni was only Gunnar’s half brother, since Grimhild had once been seduced by an elf when she slept in her garden, and Gjuki was drunk.
Gudrun once told her maidens that she could not find happiness and suffered from bad dreams. One of her women interpreted these dreams to mean she would marry a well-bred man. Gudrun went to Brynhild to ask her for her advice.
Brynhild received Gudrun hospitably and there was much rejoicing in the hall, but Gudrun remained unhappy. Brynhild tried to amuse her by talking of the deeds of kings. Gudrun asked Brynhild who she deemed the best of kings and Brynhild named the sea-kings Haki and Hagbard. Gudrun said that they had been slow to avenge their sisters, who Sigar abducted or slew. She asked Brynhild why she had not mentioned Gunnar and Hogni, and the shieldmaiden said that another man surpassed them, Sigurd Fafnir’s Bane.
Gudrun asked Brynhild about her dreams, and Brynhild prophesied that Sigurd would come to her, and her mother Grimhild, who was a witch, would use her magic to rob Sigurd of his memory of Brynhild and then they would all know grief. When Brynhild had prophesied all that was to come, Gudrun left with all her women, no happier in mind.
Sigurd came with Gunnar and Hogni to the Gjukung kingdom, where he was treated hospitably by King Gjuki. Gjuki’s wife Grimhild mixed a mead of forgetfulness and gave it to Sigurd. From that day onwards, he forgot Brynhild. Then Grimhild told her husband that Sigurd would be the best match for their daughter Gudrun, and the matter was discussed. Sigurd married Gudrun and swore an oath of brotherhood with Gunnar and Hogni.
The Gjukungs received a challenge from Alfar and Alfarin, the sons of Gandalf, demanding they send him tribute or face invasion. The Gjukungs decided to defend their country and the sons of Gandalf challenged them to a battle at a place named Jarnamotha. Sigurd accompanied the Gjukungs to the battle and when the two armies met, there was fierce fighting.
Among their opponents was a mighty man who slaughtered everyone who went against him. Gunnar told Sigurd to fight him or else they would be defeated. Sigurd came up to the big man and asked him his name. He said he was Starkad the Old, and Sigurd said he had heard tales of them, and few were to his credit. Starkad asked the name of his challenger, and Sigurd gave it. When he learnt he was facing the slayer of Fafnir, Starkad tried to flee, but Sigurd attacked him, and knocked two of h
is teeth out with Gram before Starkad left the field.
Sigurd and the Gjukungs retuned to their land. Sigurd gave Gudrun some of Fafnir’s heart to eat and she became grimmer after that. They had a son who they named Sigmund.
One day Grimhild suggested Gunnar should ask for Brynhild’s hand in marriage. She suggested that he took Sigurd with him. Gunnar agreed, and discussed it with Sigurd and his father and brothers, and they all encouraged him.
They rode over mountains and through valleys until they came to King Budli and made their request. Budli was agreeable, on the provision that Brynhild did not refuse, which she might, being excessively proud. They rode to Hlymdale where Heimir received them hospitably. When they explained their errand, he said that Brynhild should choose her husband. She lived now in a hall a short way off, and would only marry the man who leapt the wall of fire that surrounded it.
They found the hall and the fire that encircled it, and the hall’s roof was of gold. When Gunnar spurred his horse towards the fire, it shied away. Sigurd asked him why he drew back and Gunnar told him the horse did not wish to jump over the flames. Sigurd lent him Grani, but Sigurd’s horse would not move unless Sigurd was upon his back. Now they used the magic Grimhild had taught the, to change shapes, and Sigurd crossed the flame on Grani wearing Gunnar’s face. The fire rose heavenwards and the earth shook. Sigurd felt as if he was riding into darkness. Then the fire subsided and Sigurd dismounted, and then went into Brynhild’s hall.
Schlock! Webzine Vol 3 Issue 2 Page 4