The Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer (Penguin Classics)

by Jesse L. Byock

  The king said: “That is intended for another. You are carrying a son. Raise him well and carefully, for he will be an excellent boy, the foremost of our line. Guard well the broken pieces of the sword. From them can be made a good sword, which will be called Gram. Our son will bear it and with it accomplish many great deeds, which will never be forgotten. And his name will endure while the world remains. I am content with this. But my wounds tire me and I will now visit our kinsmen who have gone on before.”

  Hjordis sat by him now until he died, and then day was breaking. She saw that many ships had landed. She spoke to her slave woman: “We will exchange clothes, and you shall use my name and say you are a king’s daughter.” And this they did.

  The Vikings could see the great carnage and also the women heading for the woods. They recognized that an important event had occurred and so they leapt from the ships. Alf, the son of King Hjalprek of Denmark, led this force. He had sailed along the coast with his army. They reached the battlefield and saw there the large number of dead. King Alf now issued orders to look for the women and this was done. He asked the women who they were, as little could be distinguished from their appearance. The bondwoman answered for them both. She told of the fall of King Sigmund and King Eylimi along with many other great men and said who had caused this. Alf asked if they knew where the king’s treasure was concealed.

  The bondwoman replied: “It is certainly to be expected that we would know.” And she showed them the way to the treasure. They found enormous wealth, so much that the men thought they had never seen an equal amount gathered in one place, or more precious things. They carried the wealth to King Alf’s ships. Hjordis and the slave woman followed him. He now returned to his kingdom and made known that those kings had fallen who were the most famous of men. The king sat at the helm of the ship and the women sat on the first bench. He spoke with them and listened carefully to what they said.

  The king returned home to his kingdom with much wealth. Alf was the most able of men. And when he had been home a short while, the queen asked her son Alf: “Why does the fairer woman wear fewer rings and lesser clothing? It seems to me that she is nobler whom you have made less of.” He replied: “I have suspected that her manner is not that of a servingwoman’s. When we first met, she well knew how to greet men of rank. I shall put this to a test.”

  Now one time while they were drinking, the king talked with the women and said: “How do you note the break of day, when the night grows light, if you can not see the heavenly bodies?” The maidservant answered: “This is how I note it: as a child I was in the habit of drinking quite a bit before dawn. And when I stopped doing that, I would still wake up at the same time, and that is my signal.” The king smiled at this reply and said: “That is a poor habit for a king’s daughter.”

  Then he turned to Hjordis and asked her the same. She answered him: “My father gave me a small gold ring with this characteristic: Just before daybreak42 it becomes cold on my finger. That is how I know.” The king answered: “Gold was certainly abundant if the serving girls wore it. And you have hidden from me long enough. I would have treated you as if we were both children of the same king, if you had told me. But I shall treat you in even a better way, as you deserve. You shall be my wife and I shall pay your dowry, when you have given birth to a child.” She replied and told the complete truth about her situation. She stayed there now with much honor and was thought the most worthy of women.

  13 THE BIRTH OF SIGURD

  It is now said that Hjordis gave birth to a son and the boy was brought before Alf’s father, King Hjalprek. The king was pleased when he saw the boy’s piercing eyes, and he said that none would be his like or equal. The child was sprinkled with water and named Sigurd. All say one thing about him: that none was his match in conduct and size. He was raised there with King Hjalprek, and all showed him great affection. And when all the most renowned men and kings in the ancient sagas are named, Sigurd must be counted the foremost in strength and accomplishments, in zeal and valor. Of these qualities he possessed more than any other man in the northern world. Sigurd grew up there with Hjalprek and was loved by everyone. Hjalprek betrothed Hjordis to King Alf and fixed her dowry.

  Regin, the son of Hreidmar, was Sigurd’s foster father.43 He taught Sigurd sports, chess, and runes.44 Among many other things, he also taught Sigurd to speak in several tongues, as was the custom for a king’s son. One time, when they were both together, Regin asked Sigurd if he knew how much wealth his father had had and who was guarding it. Sigurd answered and said that the kings watched over it. Regin said: “Do you trust them completely?” Sigurd replied: “It is fitting that they guard it as long as it suits me, for they can watch over it better than I.”

  Regin came another time to talk to Sigurd and said: “It is strange that you want to be the stableboy of kings or to go about like a vagrant.” Sigurd answered: “That is not true, for I rule over everything with them. I can take whatever I want.” Regin said: “Ask him to give you a horse.” “It will be done as soon as I wish,” answered Sigurd.

  Sigurd met now with the kings. Then the king said to Sigurd, “What do you want from us?” Sigurd replied: “I would accept a horse for my entertainment.” The king said: “Choose yourself a horse and anything else you want that we possess.”

  The next day Sigurd went to the forest and met an old man with a long beard. The man was unknown to Sigurd. He asked where Sigurd was going. Sigurd answered: “I am going to choose a horse. Advise me in this.” The man responded: “Let us go and drive them to the river called Busiltjorn.”

  They drove the horses out into the deep river and all swam ashore but one; Sigurd took this one. It was gray in color, young in age, very large and handsome. No one had ever mounted this steed. The bearded man said: “This horse is descended from Sleipnir.45 He must be raised carefully, because he will become better than any other horse.” The man disappeared then. Sigurd called the horse Grani, and he was the best horse there ever was. It was Odin whom Sigurd had met.

  Again Regin spoke to Sigurd: “You have too little wealth. It vexes me that you run around like a messenger boy. But I can tell you where there is great wealth to be had. And it is likely that there would be honor in seeking it and glory should you acquire it.” Sigurd asked where this wealth might be and who was watching over it.

  Regin answered: “He is named Fafnir, and he is lying a short way from here at a place called Gnitaheath. When you get there, you will say that never have you seen in one place more riches in gold. And you will not need more, even if you become the oldest and most famous of kings.”

  Sigurd answered: “Although I am young, I know the nature of this serpent,46 and I have heard that no one dare go against him because of his size and ferocity.” Regin replied: “That is not true. His size is no different from that of other grass snakes and more is made of it than it deserves. And so it would have seemed to your forefathers. Although you are of the Volsung stock, you do not appear to have the spirit of that kin, which is figured the foremost in every form of distinction.”

  Sigurd said: “It may be that I do not have much of their valor or skill, but there is no need to taunt me when I am yet little past childhood. But why do you urge me on so strongly?” Regin replied: “There is a tale behind this, and I will tell it to you.” “Let me hear it,” said Sigurd.

  14 THE OTTER’S RANSOM*

  “This tale begins with my father, who was named Hreidmar, a great and wealthy man. One of his sons was named Fafnir, another Otr, and I was the third, the least accomplished and the least honored. I knew how to work iron as well as silver and gold, and from everything I could make something useful. My brother Otr had a different occupation and nature. He was a great fisherman and surpassed other men in this skill. He had the likeness of an otter during the day and was always in the river bringing up fish in his mouth. He brought his catch to his father and thus greatly helped him. He was in many ways like an otter. He came home late and ate alone with hi
s eyes shut, because he could not stand seeing his food diminish. Fafnir was by far the largest and the fiercest of the sons, and he wanted to call everything his own.

  “There was a dwarf named Andvari,” said Regin. “He was always in the waterfall called Andvari’s Fall. He was in the shape of a pike and caught food there for himself, for there were many fish in the falls. My brother Otr used to go into the waterfall and bring up fish in his mouth, laying them one by one on the bank. Odin, Loki,47 and Hœnir48 were traveling and came to Andvari’s Fall. Otr had caught a salmon and was eating it, half dozing on the riverbank. Loki took a stone and struck the otter to death. The Æsir49 considered themselves fortunate in their catch and skinned the otter.

  “That evening they came to Hreidmar’s and showed him the catch. Then we seized them, imposing as their fine and ransom that they must fill the skin with gold and cover the outside with red gold. They sent Loki to obtain the gold. He went to Ran50 and got her net. Next he went to Andvari’s Fall and cast the net out for the pike, and it leapt into the net. Then Loki said,

  2. Which is the fish

  That runs through the flood,

  And knows not to guard himself from danger?

  Your head,

  Ransom it from Hel51

  And find me the fire of the well.52

  3. Andvari is my name,

  Odin53 was my father;

  Many a falls have I fared over.

  A wretched Norn

  Destined in ancient days

  That I should wade in water.

  “Loki saw Andvari’s gold. And when Andvari had handed over the gold he kept one ring back. But Loki took it from him. The dwarf went into the rock and said that the gold ring would be the death of whoever owned it, and the same applied to all the gold.

  “The Æsir delivered the riches to Hreidmar, stuffed the otter skin, and set it on its feet. They then had to pile up the gold next to it and cover the outside. And when that was done, Hreidmar came forward and saw one whisker and demanded that it be covered. Then Odin drew the ring, Andvaranaut,54 from his hand and covered the hair. Then Loki said,

  4. With gold you are now paid

  And as payment you have

  Much for my head.

  No ease

  Is assigned to your son;

  Death it is to you both.

  “Afterward Fafnir killed his father,” continued Regin, “and it was murder since he hid the body. I obtained none of the treasure. Fafnir became so ill-natured that he set out for the wilds and allowed no one to enjoy the treasure but himself. He has since become the most evil serpent and lies now upon this hoard. Afterward I traveled to the king and became his smith. And this is the story of how I lost the legacy of my father and compensation for my brother. Gold has since then been called Otter’s Ransom and is spoken of as such.”

  Sigurd answered: “You have lost much, and your kinsmen have been vile.”

  15 REGIN FASHIONS GRAM

  Sigurd said: “Make a sword now with your skill so that its equal has never been made. Do this and I will be able to work great deeds if courage helps, and if you want me to kill this dragon.” Regin said: “With confidence I shall make it and you will be able to kill Fafnir with this sword.”

  Regin now made a sword.55 He gave it to Sigurd, who took it and said: “This is your smithying, Regin.” Sigurd struck the anvil and the sword broke. He threw down the blade and told Regin to forge another, better one.

  Regin made a second sword and brought it to Sigurd. He considered it. “You will like this one, though you are a hard man to forge for.” Sigurd tried the sword and he broke it like the first one. Then Sigurd said to Regin: “You are untrustworthy, just like your forefathers.”

  Sigurd went now to his mother. She greeted him well. They talked with each other and drank. Then Sigurd said: “Have I heard rightly that King Sigmund gave you the sword Gram in two pieces?” “That is true,” she replied. “Give it to me,” Sigurd said. “I wish to have it.”

  She said he was likely to win renown and gave him the sword. Sigurd met now with Regin and told him to make a sword worthy of these fragments. Regin became angry and went to his forge with the pieces of the sword. He thought Sigurd demanding about the metalwork. Now Regin made a sword. And when he brought it out of the forge, it seemed to the apprentices as if flames were leaping from its edges. He told Sigurd to take the sword and said he was no swordsmith if this one broke. Sigurd hewed at the anvil and split it to its base. The blade did not shatter or break. He praised the sword highly and went to the river with a tuft of wool, which he threw in against the current. The sword cut the wool in two when the tuft ran against the blade. Sigurd went home contented.

  Regin said: “You must fulfill your vow, now that I have made the sword, and go to meet Fafnir.” Sigurd replied: “I will fulfill it, but first there is another task; I must avenge my father.” The older Sigurd grew, the more he was loved, and every mother’s child held him dear.

  16 GRIPIR FORETELLS SIGURD’S FUTURE*

  There was a man named Gripir, the brother of Sigurd’s mother. Soon after the sword had been made, Sigurd went to meet with Gripir because this uncle could see into the future and knew the fate of men. Sigurd asked Gripir how his life would go. For a long time Gripir was unwilling to answer, but finally, yielding to Sigurd’s fervent pleas, he told him his whole fate, exactly as it later came to pass. And when Gripir had told him these things, as he had asked, Sigurd rode home. Soon afterward he and Regin met, and Regin said: “Kill Fafnir, as you have promised.” Sigurd answered: “I shall do that, but first I must do something else: avenge King Sigmund and my other relatives who fell in that battle.”

  17 SIGURD KILLS LYNGVI AND HJORVARD AND ALL THE OTHERS

  Now Sigurd met with the kings and said to them: “I have been here awhile, and I am indebted to you for your affection and esteem. But now I want to leave this country and find the sons of Hunding. I want them to know that the Volsungs are not all dead. I would like your support in this undertaking.”

  The kings said they would supply everything that Sigurd asked for. A large force was prepared. Everything was arranged most carefully, both ships and all the armaments, so that his expedition would be more magnificent than any before. Sigurd captained the largest and most splendid dragon ship. The sails were elaborately worked and glorious to see. The men sailed with a fair wind.

  And when a few days had passed, the weather grew foul and a great storm arose, churning the sea as if it were foaming with blood. Although the sails might rip, Sigurd did not order them shortened; rather he commanded each sail to be set higher than before. And when they sailed by a certain craggy headland a man called up to the ship and asked who was in command of the army. He was told that their leader was Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, now the most famous of young men.

  The man answered: “Everyone says one thing about him, that no king’s son can equal him. I would like you to lower the sails on one of your ships and take me with you.” They asked his name, and he answered:

  5. As Hnikar they hailed me

  When Hugin I gladdened56

  And when, O young Volsung,

  I vanquished.

  Now you may address

  The old man of this rock

  As Feng or Fjolnir.57

  From here I would take passage.

  They turned toward land and took the old man aboard. The wind now subsided and they sailed until they landed in the kingdom of the sons of Hunding. Then Fjolnir disappeared. At once they unleashed fire and iron, killing men and burning settlements, destroying as they went. Many fled from them to King Lyngvi and told him that an army had come to the land and was advancing with more ferocity than had ever before been seen. They said that the sons of Hunding had not been farsighted when they claimed that the Volsungs need not be feared: “for now Sigurd the son of Sigmund is leading the army.”

  King Lyngvi summoned men to arms throughout his kingdom. He refused to flee, and he called to his side every man
who would support him. He and his brothers went against Sigurd with a mighty force, and then the fiercest of battles began between them. Masses of spears and arrows could be seen flying through the air; axes swung violently, shields were split, armor was cut open, helmets were slashed, and skulls were cloven. Many men fell to the ground.

  When the battle had gone on a very long time, Sigurd advanced past the standards, holding in his hand the sword Gram. He hewed both men and horses and went through the ranks, so that both his arms were bloody to the shoulder. People fled from him as he advanced, and neither helmet nor mail coat withstood him. No one thought he had ever seen such a man before. The battle lasted a long time, with heavy slaughter and fierce encounters. And it happened there, as is unusual when the home army attacks, that it could not advance. So many fell from the ranks of the sons of Hunding that no one knew their number. And Sigurd was at the front of his troops. Then the sons of King Hunding attacked him. Sigurd struck at King Lyngvi and split his helmet and his head and his armored body. After that he cut Lyngvi’s brother Hjorvard into two pieces. Then he killed all the sons of Hunding who were still alive, along with the larger part of their army.

  Sigurd now returned home with a fine victory and the great wealth and glory he had obtained in this venture. Banquets were prepared for him in the kingdom. When Sigurd had been home a short time, Regin came to speak with him and said: “Now you will want to strike the helmet from Fafnir, as you have promised, because you have now avenged your father and your other kinsmen.” Sigurd answered: “I will fulfill my promise; it will not escape my thoughts.”