King Hunding had two sons; one was called Agnar, the other Geirrod. Agnar was ten years old, Geirrod was eight. The two of them went out in a rowboat to troll for small fish. A wind drove them out of the harbor. In the dark of night their ship crashed against land; they went ashore and found a farmer. They stayed with him over the winter. His wife served as foster-mother to Agnar, and the man took care of Geirrod.

In the springtime, the farmer got them a boat. When he and his wife were leading them down to the...

Njord’s son Frey was at Hlidskjalf looking out over all the worlds. In Jotunheim he saw a very beautiful maiden as she walked from her father’s hall to her own. From that moment on he was heartsick.

Frey had a servant called Skirnir. Njord asked him to try to get Frey to talk. Then Skadi said:

“Get up, Skirnir, go and try to speak to our son;

find out why Frey who has wisdom is now so sad.”

Skirnir said:

“I can expect an angry answer if I speak to your son,

trying to find out why Frey who has...

Thor was on his way back from the land of giants when he came to a narrow body of water. On the other side was a ferryman with his boat. Thor called:

“Who’s the big boy over there with the boat?”

Harbard said:

“Who’s the stout fellow I see across the sound?”

Thor said:

“Ferry me across, and you’ll have a fine breakfast—

the basket on my back holds the best of foods.

I took time to eat before I traveled,

stuffed myself with herring and oatmeal.”

The ferryman said:

“You praise your breakfast— that’s in the past—but you...

Ægir, who was also called Gymir, brewed ale for the Æsir when they brought him the cauldron, as has just been told. Odin and his wife Frigg came to the feast. Thor did not, because he was in the East, in Jotunheim. Thor’s wife, Sif, was there, and Bragi and his wife Idun. Tyr was there too; Tyr had only one hand because the Wolf, Fenrir, had bitten the other off when he was being bound. Njord was there, his wife Skadi, Frey and Freyja, and Odin’s son Vidar. Loki was there, and Frey’s servants Byggvir and Beyla. There were...

In Sweden there was a king called Nidud. He had two sons, and a daughter whose name was Bodvild. There were three brothers who were the sons of a Finnish king. One was called Slagfid, another Egil, the third Volund. They were out on snowshoes after game. They came to Wolfdales and built themselves a house there. Close by was a body of water which was called Wolf Lake. Early one morning they found on the shore three women who were spinning flax. Their swanskins were lying beside them. They were valkyries; two were the daughters of King Hlodver, Hladgud...

There was a king named Hjorvard. He had four wives. Alfhild was the mother of his son Hedin, Saereid was the mother of Hunding, and Sinrjod the mother of Hymling. King Hjorvard had sworn that he would marry the most beautiful woman he could find.

One day Atli, the son of Earl Idmund, was standing near a certain grove of trees. A bird in the branches above him had heard the king’s men saying that Hjorvard’s wives were the fairest of women. The bird twittered, and Atli understood what he said.

“Have you seen Sigrlinn, Svafnir’s daughter,

the fairest maiden...

King Sigmund, the son of Volsung, married Borghild from Bralund. They called their son Helgi, for Helgi Hjorvard’s son. Hagal was Helgi’s foster-father.

There was a mighty king called Hunding. Hundland is named for him. He was a great warrior and had many sons who went out raiding. There was hatred and hostility between King Hunding and King Sigmund; each killed kinsmen of the other. King Sigmund and the men of his race were called Volsungs and Ylfings.

Helgi went in secret to spy on King Hunding’s court. Haeming, one of Hunding’s sons, was at home. When Helgi was leaving...

Gripir was the name of Eylimi’s son, the brother of Hjordis. This king was the wisest of men and the greatest seer. One day Sigurd, riding alone, came to Gripir’s hall. A man named Geitir was standing outside. Sigurd, who was easy to recognize, spoke to him and asked:

“Who lives here in these strong halls?

What do the people call their king?”

Geitir said:

“Gripir is the name of our great prince,

a mighty lord of land and men.”

Sigurd said:

“Is the wise ruler here at home?

will that warrior speak with me?

A friendless traveler needs to...

Sigurd went to Hjalprek’s herd, and chose for himself a horse which was afterwards called Grani. At that time Regin, Hreidmar’s son, was visiting Hjalprek. He was the cleverest of craftsmen, a dwarf in stature; he was wise and cruel, and skilled in magic. Regin was Sigurd’s foster-father; he taught him, and loved him very much. He told Sigurd about his own ancestors, and how it happened once that Odin and Hoenir and Loki came to Andvari’s Falls, in which there were many fish. A dwarf named Andvari had lived for a long time in the waterfall in the shape...

Sigurd went home to Hjalprek. Then Regin goaded him to kill Fafnir. Sigurd and Regin went up to Gnitaheath and followed the trail along which Fafnir slithered toward the water. Then Sigurd dug a great ditch in the path, and got into it. When Fafnir crawled away from his hoard, venom spurted from his mouth and flowed from above onto Sigurd’s head. When Fafnir passed over the pit, Sigurd drove his sword into the serpent’s heart. Fafnir thrashed about, striking his head and tail on the ground. Sigurd leaped out of the pit, and they confronted each other. Fafnir said:...

Sigurd rode up to the top of Hindarfell and from there went south to the land of the Franks. He saw a great light on a mountain, as if a fire were burning there; the flames reached to the heavens. When he came close, he saw a shield-wall and over it a banner. Sigurd went through the shield-wall and saw a man lying there asleep in full armor. First he took off the warrior’s helmet. Then he saw that it was a woman. Her byrnie was so tight it seemed to be her very skin. He cut it with Gram,...

After Brynhild’s death two pyres were built, and the one for Sigurd was burned first. Brynhild was burned in the other; she was in a chariot draped with costly fabric. It is said that Brynhild drove in the chariot along the road to Hel and went around a meadow where she met a giant witch. The witch said:

“You shall not pass where I have power,

where my rock fortress rules the road!

You should sit at home and do fine sewing,

not hurry after another woman’s husband!

“What brings you here from the fields of battle,

fickle-hearted woman, to...

Atli had a bondmaid named Herkja who had been his mistress. She told Atli that she had seen Thjodrek and Gudrun together. From that time on, Atli was cheerless. Then Gudrun said:

“What is wrong, Atli? Why are you always

low in spirits, never laughing?

Your noble warriors wonder why

you are silent and seem to shun me.”

Atli said:

“I am grieved, Gudrun, Gjuki’s daughter,

by what Herkja told me in the hall:

that you slept with Thjodrek, Thjodmar’s son,

lay with the warrior gladly for love.”

Gudrun said:

“I will give you my solemn oath,

swear on the...

King Heidrek’s daughter Borgny had a lover called Vilmund. She could not give birth to her child until Oddrun, Adi’s sister, came to help her. Oddrun had been the mistress of Gunnar, Gjuki’s son.

In old tales I have heard it told

that a maiden came to Mornaland,

when no one else in all the world

could be any help to Heidrek’s daughter.

When Atli’s sister Oddrun learned

that Borgny had lain so long in labor,

she put a bridle on a black horse,

led it from the stall, put on its saddle.

Then she raced along the smooth roads...