18 REGIN AND SIGURD GO RIDING
Now Sigurd and Regin rode up onto the heath and onto the track along which Fafnir was accustomed to crawl when he went to drink. And it is said that this cliff was thirty fathoms high at the spot where Fafnir lay to get water. Then Sigurd said: “You told me, Regin, that this dragon was no larger than a serpent, but his tracks seem excessively large to me.” Regin said: “Dig a ditch and sit in it, and then, when the serpent crawls to the water, pierce him in the heart and thus cause his death. You will win great renown from such a deed.” Sigurd asked: “But what will happen, if I get in the way of the dragon’s blood?” “No one can advise you, if you are afraid of everything. You are not like your kin in courage,” replied Regin.
Now Sigurd rode onto the heath, and Regin ran off in fear. Sigurd dug a ditch. And while he was working on it, an old man with a long beard58 came to him and asked what he was doing. Sigurd told him. Then the old man responded: “That is ill-advised. Dig several ditches for the blood to run into; then you sit in one of them and thrust at the heart of the worm.” Then this man disappeared. And Sigurd dug the ditches in the manner described to him.
When the worm crawled to the water the earth quaked mightily, so that all the ground nearby shook. He blew poison over all the path before him, but Sigurd was neither afraid of nor concerned by the din. And when the serpent crawled over the pit, Sigurd plunged the sword up under the left shoulder, so that it sank to the hilt. Then Sigurd leapt up out of the ditch, and drew the sword out of the serpent. His arms were all bloody to the shoulder. And when the huge worm felt his mortal wound he thrashed his head and his tail, destroying everything that got in his way.
And when Fafnir received his death wound, he asked: “Who are you, or who is your father, or who is your family, you who are so impudent that you dare to bear weapons against me?” Sigurd replied: “My family is unknown to men. I am called the noble beast.59 I have neither father nor mother, and I have traveled alone.” Fafnir answered: “If you have neither father nor mother, from what wonder were you born? And although you will not tell me your name on my dying day, you know that you are lying.” He answered: “My name is Sigurd and my father is Sigmund.”
Fafnir then asked: “Who urged you on to this deed, and why did you let yourself be persuaded? Have you not heard that all people are afraid of me and my helm of terror?60 Boy with the sharp eyes, you had a keen father.” Sigurd said: “A hard mind whetted me for this deed and I was supported in it by this strong hand and this sharp sword, which you are now familiar with. Few are bold in old age who are cowardly in childhood.”
Fafnir said: “I know that if you had grown up with your kinsmen you would know how to fight when angered. But it is yet stranger that a prisoner taken in war should have dared to fight me, because few captives are valiant in a fight.” Sigurd spoke: “You revile me for being removed from my kinsmen. Even though I was taken in war, I was not bound, and you have discovered that I was free.” Fafnir answered: “You take everything I say as spoken with malice. But this gold that was mine will be your death.” Sigurd replied: “Everyone wants to have wealth until that one day, but everyone must die sometime.” Fafnir said: “You do not want to heed my advice, but you will drown if you voyage unwarily by sea. Remain instead on land until it is calm.”
Sigurd said: “Tell me, Fafnir, if you are so wise, who are the Norns, who separate sons from their mothers?” Fafnir replied: “They are many and sundry. Some are of the race of Æsir, some are of the race of elves, and some are the daughters of Dvalin.”61 Sigurd said: “What is the name of that island where Surt and the Æsir will mix together their blood?”62 Fafnir answered: “It is called Oskapt, the uncreated.”
And again Fafnir spoke: “My brother Regin caused my death, but it gladdens me that he will also cause your death. And it will go as he wishes.” Again Fafnir spoke: “I have borne a helm of terror over all people since I lay on my brother’s inheritance. And I blew poison in all directions around me, so that none dared come near me, and I feared no weapon. I never found so many men before me that I did not think myself much stronger, and everyone was afraid of me.” Sigurd said: “This helm of terror you speak of gives victory to few, because each man who finds himself in company with many others must at one time discover that no one is the boldest of all.”
Fafnir answered: “I suggest you take your horse and ride away as fast as you can, because it often happens that he who receives a mortal wound avenges himself.” Sigurd said: “That is your advice, but I will do otherwise. I will ride to your den and there take the massive hoard of gold which your kin possessed.” Fafnir replied: “You will ride there, where you will find so much gold that it will be plentiful for the rest of your days. And that same gold will be your death, as it will be the death of all who possess it.” Sigurd stood up and said: “I would ride home, even though it would mean losing this great treasure, if I knew that I would never die. But every brave man wants to be wealthy until that one day. And you, Fafnir, lie in your death throes until Hel has you.” Then Fafnir died.
19 REGIN DRINKS FAFNIR’S BLOOD
After Fafnir died Regin came to Sigurd and said: “Hail, my lord. You have won a great victory, as you have killed Fafnir. None before were so bold as to dare to sit in his path. And this glorious feat will live on while the world remains.” Regin stood and looked down at the ground for a long time. Then afterward he said with much emotion: “You have killed my brother, but I am hardly blameless in this deed.”
Sigurd took his sword Gram, dried it off on the grass, and said to Regin: “You went quite far away when I performed this deed. I tested this sharp sword with my own hand, pitting my strength against the serpent’s might, while you lay in a heather bush confused, not knowing whether it was heaven or earth.” Regin answered: “That serpent might have lain a long time in his den, if you had not enjoyed the sword I made for you with my own hands. Neither you nor anyone else would yet have accomplished this deed.” Sigurd replied: “When men come to battle, a fearless heart serves a man better than a sharp sword.” Then out of deep sorrow Regin repeated to Sigurd: “You have killed my brother and I can hardly be considered blameless in this deed.”
Then Sigurd cut the heart out of the serpent with the sword called Ridill. Regin drank Fafnir’s blood and said: “Grant me one request, a trifle for you. Go to the fire with the heart, roast it, and give it to me to eat.” Sigurd went and roasted Fafnir’s heart on a spit. And when the juice foamed out he tested it with his finger to see whether it was done. He stuck his finger in his mouth. And when the blood from the serpent’s heart touched his tongue, he could understand the speech of birds. He heard the nuthatches chirping in the brush near him.
20 SIGURD EATS THE SERPENT’S HEART
“There sits, Sigurd, roasting Fafnir’s heart. Better he should eat it himself,” said a bird. “Then he would be wiser than any man.” Another said: “There lies Regin, who wants to betray the one who trusts him.” Then a third spoke: “He should strike Regin’s head off; then he alone would control the huge store of gold.” Then a fourth spoke: “Sigurd would be wise to follow their advice. Afterward he should ride to Fafnir’s den and take the magnificent hoard of gold which is there, and then ride up to Hindarfell, where Brynhild sleeps. There he will find great wisdom. He would be wise to take your advice and consider his own needs. I suspect a wolf where I see a wolf’s ears.” Then a fifth said: “He is not as wise as I thought if he spares Regin after having killed his brother.” Then a sixth spoke: “It would be a wise course if Sigurd killed Regin and took the treasure for himself.”
Then Sigurd said: “It will not be my ill fate that Regin shall be my death. Rather, both brothers should go the same way.” He now drew the sword Gram and cut off Regin’s head. After that he ate some of the serpent’s heart and kept some. He then leapt onto his horse and rode along Fafnir’s trail until he came to the lair, which he found open. All the doors were made of iron, as were all their fastenings. All the posts i
n the house were also of iron, and they had been sunk into the earth. There Sigurd found an enormous store of gold, as well as the sword Hrotti. He took from there the helm of terror, the golden coat of chain mail, and many other precious things. He found so much gold that he expected it to be more than two or even three horses could carry. He took all the gold and put it into two large chests and then took Grani by the bridle. The horse would not budge and whipping was useless. Sigurd now discovered what the horse wanted. He leapt onto his back and put spurs to him and the horse ran as if unencumbered.
21 CONCERNING SIGURD
Sigurd now rode a long way, until he came up on Hindarfell; then he turned south toward Frakkland.63 Ahead of him on the mountain he saw a great light, as if a fire were burning and the brightness reached up to the heavens. And when he came to it, there stood before him a rampart of shields with a banner above it. Sigurd went into the rampart and saw a man lying there asleep, dressed in full armor. First he removed the helmet from the man’s head and saw that it was a woman. She was in a coat of mail so tight that it seemed to have grown into her flesh.
He sliced through the armor, down from the neck opening and out through the sleeves, and it cut like cloth. Sigurd said she had slept too long. She asked what was so strong that it could slash through her coat of mail “and rouse me from sleep. Or is it that Sigurd the son of Sigmund has come, the one who has the helmet of Fafnir and carries Fafnir’s bane in his hand?” Sigurd replied: “He is of the line of Volsung who has done this work. And I have heard that you are the daughter of a powerful king. I have also been told of your beauty and wisdom, and these I will put to the test.”
Brynhild said that two kings had fought. One, called Hjalmgunnar, was old and was a great warrior, and Odin had promised him the victory. The other was Agnar or Audabrodir. “I struck down Hjalmgunnar in battle, and Odin stabbed me with a sleeping thorn in revenge. He said I should never afterward have the victory. He also said that I must marry. And I made a countervow that I would marry no one who knew fear.” Sigurd said: “Teach me the ways of mighty things.”
She answered: “You know them better than I. But gladly I will teach you, if there is anything I know that will please you about runes or other matters that concern all things. Let us drink together and may the gods grant us a fair day, that you may gain profit and renown from my wisdom, and that you will later remember what we speak of.” Brynhild filled a goblet, gave it to Sigurd, and spoke:
6.
Beer I give you,
Battlefield’s ruler,64
With strength blended
And with much glory.
It is full of charmed verse
And runes of healing,
Of seemly spells
And of pleasing speech.65
7.
Victory runes shall you know
If you want to secure wisdom,
And cut them on the sword hilt,
On the center ridge of the blade,
And the parts of the brand,
And name Tyr twice.66
8.
Wave runes shall you make
If you desire to ward
Your sail-steeds67 on the sound.
On the stem shall they be cut
And on the steering blade
And burn them on the oar.
No broad breaker will fall
Nor waves of blue,
And you will come safe from the sea.
9.
Speech runes shall you know
If you want no repayment
In hate words for harm done.
Wind them,
Weave them,
Tie them all together,
At that thing68
When all shall attend
The complete court.
10.
Ale runes shall you know
If you desire no other’s wife
To deceive you in troth, if you trust.
They shall be cut on the horn
And on the hand’s back
And mark the need rune on your nail.
11.
For the cup shall you make a sign
And be wary of misfortune
And throw leek into the liquor.
Then, I know that,
You will never get
A potion blended with poison.
12.
Aid runes shall you learn
If you would grant assistance
To bring the child from the mother.
Cut them in her palm
And hold her hand in yours.
And bid the Disir not to fail.
13.
Branch runes shall you know
If you wish to be a healer
And to know how to see to wounds.
On bark shall they be cut
And on needles of the tree
Whose limbs lean to the east.
14.
Mind runes shall you learn
If you would be
Wiser than all men.
They were solved,
They were carved out,
They were heeded by Hropt.69
15.
They were cut on the shield
That stands before the shining god,
On Arvak’s ear
And on Alsvid’s head70
And on the wheel that stands
Under Hrungnir’s chariot,71
On Sleipnir’s reins,
And on the sleigh’s fetters.
16.
On bear’s paw
And on Bragi’s72 tongue,
On wolf’s claws
And on eagle’s beak,
On bloody wings
And on bridge’s ends,73
On the soothing palm
And on the healing step.
17.
On glass and on gold
And on good silver,
In ale and in wine
And on the witch’s seat,
In human flesh
And the point of Gaupnir74
And the hag’s breast,
On the Norn’s nail
And the neb of the owl.
18.
All that were carved on these
Were scraped off
And mixed with the holy mead75
And sent on widespread ways.
They are with elves,
Some with the Æsir
And with the venerable Vanir,76
Some belong to mortal men.
19.
These are cure runes77
And aid runes
And all ale runes
And peerless power runes
For all to use unspoiled
And unprofaned,
To bring about good fortune.
Enjoy them if you have learned them,
Until the gods perish.78
20.
Now shall you choose,
As you are offered a choice,
O maple shaft of sharp weapons.79
Speech or silence,
You must muse for yourself.
All words are already decided.
Sigurd answered:
21.
I will not flee, though
Death-fated you know I am,
I was not conceived as a coward.
I will have all
Of your loving advice
As long as I live.
22 BRYNHILD’S WISE COUNSEL
Sigurd said: “Never can there be found a wiser woman in the world than you. Give me more wise counsel.” Brynhild answered: “It is right to do your bidding and to give you good advice, because you seek it wisely.” Then she said: “Do well by your kinsmen and take little revenge for their wrongdoings. Endure with patience and you will win long-lasting praise. Beware of ill dealings, both of a maid’s love and a man’s wife; ill often arises from these. Control your temper with foolish men at crowded gatherings, for they frequently speak worse than they know. When you are called a coward, people may think that you are rightfully name
d so. Kill the man another day, rewarding him for his malicious words.
“If you travel a road where evil creatures dwell, be wary. Although caught by nightfall, do not take shelter near the road, for foul beings who bewilder men often live there.
“Even if you see beautiful women at a feast, do not let them entice you so that they interfere with your sleep or distress your mind. Do not allure them with kisses and other tenderness. And if you hear foolish words from drunken men, do not dispute with those who are drunk on wine and have lost their wits. To many men such things bring much grief or even death.
“It is better to fight with your enemies than to be burned at home. And do not swear a false oath, because hard vengeance follows the breaking of truce. Do the right thing by dead men, be they dead from disease, by drowning, or by a weapon. Prepare their bodies with care. And do not trust any man, even though he is young, whose father or brother or close kinsman has been killed by you; often a wolf lies in a young son. Beware of the wiles of friends. I see only a little of your future life, yet it would be better if the hate of your in-laws did not descend upon you.”
The Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer (Penguin Classics) Page 8
