Sigurd the Völsung / Völsunga Saga

Oh, Sigurd, you and your two murderous wives you. This was honestly one of the more entertaining reads, and I had a lot of fun with it. I still remember trying to draw the trenches with one of my tutors, where we were trying to figure out how Sigurd drained the blood from Fafnir safely. It was weird. It was fun. It was a "what am I doing with my life, drawing straight lines on a whiteboard?" moment.

So, now, I have to tell the story of Mr. Forgets His Wife. Which, thankfully, is a lot more tame in comparison to the Epic of Gilgamesh. It's still a bloody massacre though, considering it's a viking tale that has been passed down through the generations.

Now, let's get right into it, shall we?

Sigurd the Völsung

Sigurd is born to Hiordis, the wife of Sigmund. They have their own story, and no, we're not getting into it. After Sigmund dies via poisoning by his other wife, (what is it with this family and wives?!) Hiordis is sent to live with King Elf of Denmark.

Yes, his name is King Elf.

Sigurd ends up being raised by Regin, a cunning, weird old guy who has a vendetta against a dragon named Fafnir. When he's old enough, Sigurd requests a horse from King Elf, who lets him pick the one he likes best. He picks one, and names it Grani. Upon getting the horse, Regin takes it upon himself to pester Sigurd into fighting Fafnir. Like, all the time. I bet you that he was randomly popping out of bushes as Sigurd was walking along, yelling "SLAY THE DRAGON SIGURD!!!" and then disappearing like this was no big deal.

Am I drawing some lines already between the loveable jerk Merlin and not-so-loveable jerk Regin? Yes, yes I am. Merlin is still the superior weird old man though.

Anyways, Regin finally explains that Fafnir has a hoard of cursed gold, and that said gold was once Regins. To top it off, apparently Fafnir was once human AND Regin and Fafnir are brothers! Yay. Sigurd finally cracks and agrees, and Regin forges him a sword. Sigurd proceeds to break the sword, where this whole song and dance goes on two more times before Sigurd finally produces the pieces of Odin's sword, which he inherited from his father. Regin forges a mighty sword from these fragments, named 'Gram' by Sigurd.

Now, Sigurd begins his quest, going up to a pond where Fafnir drinks from. In the version I read, Sigurd digs a bunch of trenches at Regin's word, who says that his blood is toxic to humans. Fafnir wanders up for a stroll, where he is promptly killed by Sigurd and his blood filtered into the trenches. Sigurd proceeds to roast Fafnir's heart for Regin, accidentally burning his finger. He sticks it in his mouth, tasting Fafnir's blood and proceeding to... understand the language of animals.

Yeah, okay.

So, the animals tell Sigurd that Regin, who is currently doing... whatever, is planning to kill him and take Fafnir's gold. Which was one half of the original plan, but still. Sigurd ends up killing Regin, taking the roasted heart and taking a bite out of it. Ew. That also begs the question though, what does roasted dragon heart taste like?? Who knows.

He takes Fafnir's gold as well during the whole debacle. He begins his journey home, noticing a fire upon the slopes of Hindfell. He takes a detour, RIDING INTO THE FIRE LIKE AN IDIOT, and somehow ends up unharmed during this entire thing. He finds a sleeping maiden, Brynhild, who says that she is a valkyrie unto Odin. Odin ended up dropping her off there after she disobeyed him, and Sigurd finds that hot. Sigurd and Brynhild pledge themselves to each other in the blink of an eye, exchanging rings.

Yes, they pretty much just got married in the first five minutes of meeting each other. Or, at least, they promise to marry each other.

After this whole debacle, Sigurd arrives at the court of King Gjuki, the father of the lovely lady Gudrun, along with her three brothers Gunnar, Högni and Guthorm. His wife, the Queen Grimhild (she has a very fitting name all things considered), gives Sigurd a potion so he forgets Brynhild, instead marrying their daughter. After this, Sigurd, Gunnar and Högni swear a blood oath, pledging loyalty to one another. 

Meanwhile, Grimhild convinces Gunnar to marry Brynhild, and Brynhild's family agrees to this. But, Brynhild will only marry Gunnar if he can cross the fire that surrounds her castle, AKA she just really wants Sigurd. Gunnar comes up with an ingenious plan, convincing Sigurd to go across the fire for him (as Gunnar himself is unworthy). They switch forms with a spell that Grimhild came up with and taught to Gunnar, and so Sigurd rides forth once more.

... Grimhild, at this point, is seeming like some magical key to fixing everything. But eeeevil.



Sigurd, dressed as Gunnar, crosses the wall of flames to Brynhild's surprise. She thought that nobody but Sigurd could cross it, but alas... only Sigurd was able to cross it! Except this is totally 'Gunnar', so. yeah. 'Gunnar' then proceeds to lay with Brynhild for three nights with... a sword placed between them? What, is Brynhild gonna viciously stab 'Gunnar' a multitude of times if he tries to cuddle with her?

This... actually seems very in character for Brynhild. Huh.

Brynhild and Gunnar, along with Sigurd and Gudrun, proceed to marry on the same day. My Big Fat Norse Wedding was apparently a very popular show back in those days.

One day, Brynhild and Gudrun get into an argument while... bathing in the river. Okay then! They fight about whose husband is the noblest, fairest prince of them all. Gudrun, like an idiot, then proceeds to taunt Brynhild by fessing up that she was tricked, and that Sigurd was actually the one who rode through the flames and laid with her. Brynhild is furious, and she wants revenge. Not on Gunnar for being the one who got Sigurd to do the job, she... actually isn't mad at him at all, but she's sure as hell pissed at Sigurd.

Sigurd actually ends up talking to her about this whole thing, telling her that his memory was wiped and him and Brynhild confess their undying love to each other. He actually offers to divorce Gudrun for her! But, Brynhild says no, leaving him and going back to her husband. So, Brynhild asks her husband, "Gunnar, will you pretty please with a cherry on top kill Sigurd?"

Gunnar cannot do this. Blood pacts are powerful. That's what caused those guys in Dark Souls 3 to make a fight club where they constantly killed each other, right?

Anyways, Gunnar instead gets Guthorm to do it, because he never swore the blood pact to Sigurd. Guthorm eats... wolf flesh, making him suddenly more courageous to go kill Sigurd. Did he get rabies from it or something?

Guthorm stabs Sigurd as he is sleeping, Sigurd promptly waking up and somehow having the strength to grab his blade and murder Guthorm. Sigurd assures Gudrun that he was always loyal to Gunnar, and... dies.

RIP Sigurd, you were an icon.

Anyways, Brynhild feels bad and, in my personal favourite telling of this tale, throws herself onto Sigurd's funeral pyre so they can burn together.



That's metal as all hell.

But, that's the end of it all.

I'm also kinda running out of time here, so there's no "how did this inspire me?" Just have fun with this beautiful piece of literature.

Sources

1. My memory (and the book I have at home, I can't remember the name of it I'm so sorry. It was like... Norse Myths or something?)
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigurd#Völsunga_saga 
3. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/13486/13486-h/13486-h.htm 
4. Image #1 - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sigurd_and_Gunnar_at_the_Fire_by_J._C._Dollman.jpg
5. Image #2 - commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sigurd_and_Brynhild,_C._Butler_1909.jpg