Sigurd

Sigmund fell in battle before the sons of Hunding, leaving Hiordis, daughter of King Eylimi, to bear their son, Sigurd. She later married Alf, son of King Hialprek, and Sigurd grew up in their household. Sigmund and his sons were said to surpass other men in strength, size, courage, and accomplishment. Sigurd was judged the most remarkable of them, and the greatest of men and war-leaders.

Regin came to King Hialprek and became his smith. He undertook Sigurd’s upbringing, instructed him, and told him that Fafner lay brooding over the gold. Regin urged him to take the hoard. He made Gram, a sword so sharp that it cut through a tuft of wool carried against its edge by a flowing stream. Sigurd then struck Regin’s anvil and split it in two.

At Hialprek’s stud, Sigurd chose a horse later called Grani. He and Regin travelled to Gnita-heath, where Fafner lay near the gold. Sigurd dug a ditch in the dragon’s path and sat within it. When Fafner crawled towards the water over the ditch, Sigurd attacked him and killed him. He cooked pieces of the dragon’s heart. After burning his finger on the broth, he licked it and understood the speech of birds. They warned him that Regin meant to deceive him and sought revenge against his foster-son. Sigurd therefore slew Regin, mounted Grani, and took the gold from Fafner’s lair. He packed it in two bags and laid them on the horse’s back. The traditions call this hoard Fafner’s bed, the metal of Gnita-heath, or Grani’s burden.

Sigmund fell in battle to the sons of Hunding. He had ruled in the land of the Franks and had married Hiordis, daughter of King Eylimi. Their son was Sigurd. Sigmund and all his sons surpassed other men in strength, size, courage, and every accomplishment. Sigurd surpassed them all and became the greatest and most formidable leader in war.

After Sigmund died, Hiordis married Alf, son of King Hialprek. Sigurd lived with Hiordis and Alf while he was still a child, and he grew up in their household. When he grew to manhood, he took his father's sword, Gram. The sword cut through an iron anvil.

Sigurd went against King Lunge, his father's killer. He slew Lunge and the king's men, and so avenged his father. He gained great fame as a mighty warrior. After this, Sigurd killed the dragon Fafnir. He dug a pit near the riverbank by Fafnir's lair and hid in it. When Fafnir left his treasure cave to drink from the river, he passed over the pit. Sigurd thrust Gram into the dragon's heart and stabbed him to death.

Regin told Sigurd where Fafnir lay upon his gold and urged him to take the treasure. Regin had made Sigurd a sword called Gram. Its edge was so sharp that it cut a tuft of wool carried against it by a stream, and Sigurd used it to cut Regin’s anvil in two. They then travelled to Gnita heath, where Fafnir’s lair was found.

Sigurd dug a deep ditch in the dragon’s path and sat inside it. Some accounts say that he made channels in the earth so that Fafnir’s poisonous blood would run away, since it might otherwise have suffocated him. When Fafnir left his treasure cave to drink from the river, he crawled over the hiding place. Sigurd thrust Gram upwards into the dragon and killed him. One account describes the sword entering Fafnir’s heart. The stated action in another account is a stab through the belly.

After Fafnir’s death, Regin told Sigurd to roast the dragon’s heart for him. Sigurd touched the cooking flesh and burnt his finger. He put the finger in his mouth and gained the power to understand the speech of birds. The birds warned him that Regin meant evil and advised him to kill the smith and take the whole treasure. Sigurd followed their counsel, cut off Regin’s head, and took Fafnir’s treasure, including the terror helmet. He loaded the hoard onto his horse, Grani, and rode away. In another account, he ate Fafnir’s heart and drank the blood of both Fafnir and Regin.

Sigurd prodded Fafnir’s heart as it roasted on a spit. The juice ran from it, but when he touched the heart he burnt his finger and put it in his mouth. The dragon’s blood reached his tongue, and he understood the speech of birds. Nuthatches in the branches told him that Regin was planning to betray the man who trusted him. They advised Sigurd to kill Regin and take the treasure for himself.

Sigurd had come to Gnita-heath with Regin, who had taken charge of his upbringing and urged him to seek Fafnir’s gold. Regin had made the sword Gram for him. Sigurd used it to cut Regin’s anvil in two, then dug a ditch in Fafnir’s path. The dragon crawled over the ditch towards the water, and Sigurd killed him from below. He had made channels for the dragon’s blood because its poisonous flow might otherwise have suffocated him.

After hearing the birds, Sigurd went to Regin and cut off his head before Regin could betray him or take control of the treasure. He then ate Fafnir’s heart and drank the blood of both Fafnir and Regin. The birds told him to gather the red rings and take the gold. Sigurd mounted Grani, loaded the treasure into two bags, and rode away. He took Fafnir’s terror helmet with him. From this deed he gained the name Fafnir’s Bane.

Sigurd later rode to a mountain surrounded by flames. Grani carried him unharmed through the fire. Inside the mountain he found a sleeping figure in a helmet and coat of mail. He cut open the mail and discovered a woman, the Valkyr Sigrdrifa, whom Odin had put to sleep. She awoke, and she and Sigurd became betrothed before he rode away.

Gudrun and Brynhild quarrelled while bathing in a river. Brynhild claimed that Gunnar had performed the greater deed, since he had ridden through the flame. Gudrun laughed and asked whether Brynhild believed that Gunnar had crossed the fire. She showed the gold ring on her finger, which she had received as a bridal gift, and said that it had come from the man who had shared Brynhild’s bed. The ring was called Andvaranaut, and Gudrun said that Gunnar had not won it on Gnita-heath.

Gunnar, Hogni and Sigurd were sworn brothers. Gunnar wished to marry Brynhild, who would accept only a man able to pass through her wall of flame. Gunnar failed, so Sigurd changed shapes with him and rode through the fire, calling himself Gunnar. He stayed with Brynhild for three nights, keeping his drawn sword between them. Brynhild believed that Gunnar had crossed the flames and married him. Sigurd then married Gudrun. He had taken Brynhild’s ring and gave it to Gudrun.

Brynhild fell silent and returned home. She urged Gunnar and Hogni to kill Sigurd, claiming that he had been her lover despite the oaths he had sworn to Gunnar. Since Gunnar and Hogni were Sigurd’s sworn brothers, they persuaded their brother Guthorm to carry out the killing. Guthorm pierced Sigurd with a sword while he slept. Sigurd, wounded but still able to act, threw his sword Gram after Guthorm. It cut Guthorm in two.

Sigurd died from the wound. His three-year-old son, Sigmund, was also killed. Brynhild then pierced herself with a sword and was cremated with Sigurd. Gunnar and Hogni inherited Fafner’s gold.

Gunnar sought Brynhild as his bride, but his horse would not cross the flame that surrounded her hall. Sigurd and Gunnar therefore changed form and weapons. Sigurd rode Grane through the fire in Gunnar’s shape, while Gunnar remained behind. Brynhild accepted the man she believed to be Gunnar, and a wedding followed.

That night, Sigurd placed his sword Gram between himself and Brynhild. In the morning, he removed the sword and gave her the gold ring Andvaranaut, which Loki had taken from Andvari. Brynhild gave Sigurd another ring as a keepsake. In another account, Sigurd entered Brynhild’s chamber while disguised as Gunnar, took a ring from her finger at dawn, and replaced it with another. Sigurd and Gunnar then exchanged clothes, and no one discovered the deception.

Sigurd returned to his companions, while Gunnar took Brynhild to Niflungland. Gunnar ruled there with Sigurd and his brothers. Later, Gudrun quarrelled with Brynhild and revealed that Gunnar had not crossed the flame. Gudrun pointed to the ring on Brynhild’s finger and said that Gunnar could not have obtained Andvaranaut on Gnita-heath. Brynhild understood that Sigurd had been the man who shared her bed and had given her the ring.

Brynhild then urged Gunnar and Hogni to kill Sigurd. They would not break their oaths to their sworn brother, so they urged their brother Guthorm to do it. Guthorm stabbed Sigurd while he slept. Sigurd threw Gram after him, cutting him in two. Sigurd died, and his three-year-old son Sigmund was also killed. Brynhild then pierced herself with a sword and was burned with Sigurd.

Sigurd rode through the wall of flame surrounding the mountain. His horse, Grane, carried him unharmed through the fire. Within the flames he found a sleeping figure dressed in a helmet and coat of mail. Sigurd drew his sword and cut through the armour. When he turned back the helmet, he saw that the figure was a woman. The sleeping valkyrie awoke. Her name is Brynhild in some accounts, and Sigrdrifa in others.

The woman had been placed in this sleep by Odin. One account says that she had disobeyed him and was punished with a deep sleep. Her bed was surrounded by fire, and only a warrior who knew no fear could reach her. Sigurd had fulfilled this condition by riding through the flames. After she awoke, Sigurd and the valkyrie became betrothed, and he rode away. Another account says that he gave her a powerful gold ring, without knowing that it was cursed and that its owners would soon die.

The story is connected with Sigurd’s earlier victory over Fafner. After killing the dragon and Regin, Sigurd took the treasure, including the ring, and loaded it on Grane. In one version, Sigurd later helped Gunnar seek Brynhild as a bride. Gunnar’s horse would not pass through the flames, so Sigurd took Gunnar’s form and forced Grane through them. Brynhild was fated to marry the man who completed the ride. Sigurd shared her couch with a drawn sword between them, then she became Gunnar’s bride while Sigurd married Gudrun. In another version, Sigurd himself rescued and became betrothed to the valkyrie before riding on to the court of Giuki.