The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún

V

REGIN

The king of that land took Sigrlinn to wife. Sigurd was sent to be fostered by Regin, of whom it has been told above. Regin dwelt now in the forest and was deemed wise in many other matters than smithwork. Regin egged Sigurd to slay Fáfnir. With the sword Gram and the horse Grani, of which it is here spoken, he accomplished this, though Regin had concealed from him both the great power of Fáfnir and the nature of the hoard that the serpent guarded. Here also are given the dark words of Regin in which the undermeaning is that the real cause of the serpent’s death is Regin, who should therefore have the gold (though this he has promised, at least in large share, to Sigurd); but that Regin should slay the slayer of his brother. Sigurd deeming him only weighed with the thought of his guilt in brother-murder, dismisses his words with scorn. Nor does Sigurd heed the dragon’s words concerning the curse, thinking them merely the device of greed to protect the gold even though its guardian be slain. This indeed was the dragon’s chief purpose in revealing the curse at the hour of his death. Yet that curse began to work swiftly.

1

The forge was smoking

in the forest-darkness;

there wrought Regin

by the red embers.

There was Sigurd sent,

seed of Völsung,

lore deep to learn;

long his fostering.

2

Runes of wisdom

then Regin taught him,

and weapons’ wielding,

works of mastery;

the language of lands,

lore of kingship,

wise words he spake

in the wood’s fastness.

Regin

3

‘Full well couldst thou wield

wealth and kingship,

O son of Sigmund,

a sire’s treasure.’

Sigurd

‘My father is fallen,

his folk scattered,

his wealth wasted,

in war taken!’

Regin

4

‘A hoard have I heard

on a heath lying,

gold more glorious

than greatest king’s.

Wealth and worship

would wait on thee,

if thou durst to deal

with its dragon master.’

Sigurd

5

‘Men sing of serpents

ceaseless guarding

gold and silver

greedy-hearted;

but fell Fáfnir

folk all name him

of dragons direst,

dreaming evil.’

Regin

6

‘Dragons all are dire

to the dull-hearted;

yet venom feared not

Völsung’s children.’

Sigurd

‘Eager thou urgest me,

though of age untried –

tell me now truly

why thou tauntest me!’

*

Regin

7

‘

The

falls of Andvari

frothed and spouted

with fish teeming

in foaming pools.

There Otr sported,

mine own brother;

to snare salmon

sweet he thought it.

8

With stone smote him,

stripped him naked,

a robber roving

ruthless-handed;

at Hreidmar’s house

hailed my father,

that fairest fell

for food offered.

9

There wrought Regin

by the red embers

rough iron hewing

and runes marking;

there Fáfnir lay

by the fire sleeping,

fell-hearted son,

fiercely dreaming.

(Hreidmar)

10

“Redgolden rings,

ransom costly,

this fell must fill,

this fur cover.”

From the foaming force

as a fish netted

was Dwarf Andvari

dragged and plundered.

11

All

must Andvari,

all surrender,

light rings and heavy,

or life itself.

In Hreidmar’s house

heaped he laid them,

gold ring on gold,

a great weregild.

(Regin & Fáfnir)

12

“Shall not brethren share

in brother’s ransom

their grief to gladden? –

gold is healing.”

(Hreidmar)

“The wreathéd rings

I will rule alone,

as long as life is

they leave me never!”

13

Then Fáfnir’s heart

fiercely stung him;

Hreidmar he hewed

in his house asleep.

Fáfnir’s heart

as a fire burneth:

part nor portion

he pays to Regin.

14

In

dragon’s

likeness

darkling lies he;

deep his dungeons,

and dread he knows not.

A helm of horror

his head weareth

on

Gnitaheiði

grimly creeping.’

Sigurd

15

‘With kin unkindly

wert thou cursed Regin!

His fire and venom

affright me not!

Yet why thou eggest me,

I ask thee still –

for father’s vengeance,

or for Fáfnir’s gold?’

Regin

16

‘A sire avenged

were sweet to Regin;

the gold thy guerdon,

the glory thine.

A sword for Sigurd

will the smith fashion,

the blade most bitter

ever borne to war.’

*

17

The forge was smoking,

the fire smouldered.

Two swords there fashioned

twice he broke them:

hard the anvil

hewed he mightily –

sword was splintered,

smith was angered.

Sigurd

18

‘Sigrlinn, say me,

was sooth told me

of gleaming shards

of Grímnir’s sword?

Sigmund’s son

now seeks them from thee –

now Gram shall Regin

guileless weld me!’

19

The forge was flaring,

the fire blazing:

a blade they brought him

with blue edges;

they flickered with flame,

as it flashed singing –

the cloven anvil

clashed asunder.

20

The Rhine river

ran by swiftly;

there tufts of wool

on the tide he cast.

Sharp it shore them

in the sheer water:

glad grew Sigurd,

Gram there brandished.

Sigurd

21

‘Where lies the heath

and hoard golden?

Now rede me Regin

of roads thither!’

Regin

‘Far lies Fáfnir

in the fells hiding –

a horse must thou have,

high and sturdy.’

22

In Busiltarn ran

blue the waters,

green grew the grass

for grazing horse.

A man them minded

mantled darkly,

hoary-bearded,

huge and ancient.

23

They drove the horses

into deep currents;

to the bank they backed

from the bitter water.

But grey Grani

gladly swam there:

Sigurd chose him,

swift and flawless.

Man

24

‘In the stud of Sleipnir,

steed of Ódin,

was sired this horse,

swiftest, strongest.

Ride now! ride now!

rocks and mountains,

horse and hero,

hope of Ódin!’

*

25

Gand rode Regin

and Grani Sigurd;

the waste lay withered,

wide and empty.

Fathoms thirty fell

the fearful cliff

whence the dragon bowed him

drinking thirsty.

26

In deep hollow

on the dark hillside

long there lurked he;

the land trembled.

Forth came Fáfnir,

fire his breathing;

down the mountain rushed

mists of poison.

27

The fire

and fume

over fearless head

rushed by

roaring

;

rocks were groaning.

The black belly,

bent and coiling,

over hidden hollow

hung and glided.

28

Gram was brandished;

grimly ringing

to the hoary stone

heart it sundered.

In Fáfnir’s throe

were threshed as flails

his writhing limbs

and reeking head.

29

Black flowed the blood,

belching drenched him;

in the hollow hiding

hard grew Sigurd.

Swift now sprang he

sword withdrawing:

there each saw other

with eyes of hate.

Fáfnir

30

‘O man of mankind!

What man begot thee?

Who forged the flame

for Fáfnir’s heart?’

Sigurd

‘As the wolf I walk

wild and lonely,

no father owning,

a flame bearing.’

Fáfnir

31

‘A wolf was thy sire –

full well I know it!

Who egged thee eager

to mine undoing?’

Sigurd

‘My sire was Sigmund,

seed of Völsung;

my heart egged me,

my hand answered.’

Fáfnir

32

‘Nay! Regin wrought this,

rogue and master!

O son of Sigmund!

sooth I tell thee:

my guarded gold

gleams with evil,

bale it bringeth

to both my foes.’

Sigurd

33

‘Life each must leave

on his latest day,

yet gold gladly

will grasp living!’

Fáfnir

‘Fools! saith Fáfnir –

with fate of woe

this gold is glamoured.

Grasp not! Flee thou!’

Sigurd

34

‘A fool, saith Sigurd,

could not fend himself

with helm of horror –

hell now seize him!’

In the heather had hidden

as a hare cowering

the fear-daunted smith;

forth now crept he.

Regin

35

‘Hail! O Völsung

victory-crownéd,

of mortal men

mightiest hero!’

Sigurd

‘In the halls of Ódin

more hard to choose!

many brave are born

who blades stain not.’

Regin

36

‘Yet glad is Sigurd,

of gold thinking,

as Gram on the grey

grass he wipeth!

‘Twas blood of my brother

that blade did spill,

though somewhat the slaying

I myself must share.’

Sigurd

37

‘Far enow thou fleddest,

when Fáfnir came.

This sword slew him,

and Sigurd’s prowess.’

Regin

‘This sword I smithied.

Yet would serpent live,

had not Regin’s counsel

wrought his ending!’

Sigurd

38

‘Nay, blame not thyself,

backward helper!

Stout heart is better

than strongest sword.’

Regin

‘Yet the sword I smithied,

the serpent’s bane!

The bold oft are beaten

who have blunt weapons.’

39

Thus heavy spake Regin

Ridil unsheathing,

fell Fáfnir’s heart

from the flesh cleaving.

Dark blood drank he

from the dragon welling;

deep drowsing fell

on dwarvish smith.

Regin

40

‘Sit now, Sigurd!

Sleep o’ercomes me.

Thou Fáfnir’s heart

at the fire roast me.

His dark thought’s dwelling

after drink potent

I fain would eat,

feast of wisdom.’

41

Sharp spit shaped he;

at shining fire

the fat of Fáfnir there frothed and hissed.

To tongue he touched

testing finger –

beasts’ cry he knew,

and birds’ voices

.

*

first bird

42

‘A head shorter

should hoary liar

go hence to nether hell!

The heart of Fáfnir

I whole would eat

if I myself were Sigurd.’

second bird

43

‘

Who

a foe lets free

is fool indeed,

when he was bane of

brother

!

I alone would be lord

of linkéd gold,

if my wielded sword had won it.’

first bird

44

‘A head shorter

should hiding dwarf

deprived of gold perish!

There Regin rouses

in rustling heather;

Vengeance he vows for brother.’

*

45

Round turned Sigurd,

and Regin saw he

in the heath crawling

with hate gleaming.

Black spilled the blood

as blade clove him,

the head hewing

of Hreidmar’s son.

46

Dark red the drink

and dire the meat

whereon Sigurd feasted

seeking wisdom.

Dark hung the doors

and dread the timbers

in the earth under

of iron builded.

47

Gold piled on gold

there glittered palely:

that gold was glamoured

with grim curses.

The Helm of Horror

on his head laid he:

swart fell the shadow

round Sigurd standing.

48

Great and grievous

was Grani’s burden,

yet lightly leaped he

down the long mountain.

Ride now! ride now

road and woodland,

horse and hero,

hope of Ódin!

*

49

Ever wild and wide

the wandering paths;

long lay the shadow

of lone rider.

Birds in the branches

blithe were singing:

their words he heard,

their wit he knew not.

Raven

50

‘High stands a hall

on Hindarfell,

fire it fenceth

flaming-tonguéd;

steep stands the path,

stern the venture,

where mountains beckon

to mighty heart.’

Finch

51

‘A maid have I seen

as morning fair,

golden-girdled,

garland-crownéd.

Green run the roads

to Gjúki’s land;

fate leads them on,

who fare that way.’

Raven

52

‘Slumber bindeth

the sun-maiden

on mountain high,

mail about her.

Thorn of Ódin

is thrust in bosom –

to what shall she wake,

woe or laughter?’

Finch

53

‘The Gjúkings proudly,

Gunnar and Högni,

there rule a realm

by Rhine-water.

Gudrún groweth

golden-lovely,

as flower unfolded

fair at morning.’

Raven

54

‘Too peerless proud

her power wielding,

victory swaying

as Valkyrie,

she heard nor heeded

hests of Ódin,

and Ódin smote

whom Ódin loved.’