The Hervarar Saga ok Heiðreks on Hervor

Stories And Ballads > Part I > General Introduction

• attestation: A passage describes Hervor standing on a tower seeing an approaching army with gold shields, gilded helmets and white corslets

  "as Hervör was standing on the summit of a tower over the gate of the fortress, she looked southwards towards the forest and saw clouds of dust, arising from a great body of horse, by which the sun was hidden for a long time. Next she saw a gleam beneath the dust, as though she were gazing on a mass of gold--fair shields overlaid with gold, gilded helmets and white corslets."

Stories And Ballads > Part I > Introduction To The TháTtr Of SöRli

• attestation: Hervor's personality is left underdeveloped by saga writers more interested in incident than character

  "Even when as in the case of Hervör[7], the very nature of the story presents an interesting and somewhat unusual personality, we are sometimes left with a feeling of dissatisfaction"

Stories And Ballads > Chapter 4 also has a special interest of its own. Breaking into > Introduction To The Saga Of HervöR And Heithrek

• attestation: Hervor daughter of Angantyr visits her father's grave-mound to obtain his sword, found only here and in the ballads

  "the account of Hervör, the daughter of Angantyr (which is only found here and in the ballads), and the striking poem in which she is represented as visiting her father's grave-mound to obtain his sword."

Stories And Ballads > part likewise seems to be a story of the Viking Age. Towards the end,

• attestation: Some saga characters are repetitions of one another, especially the two Hervors

  "what is said about Hervör the daughter of Heithrek in the latter part of the story bears a strong resemblance to the description of the more prominent Hervör, the daughter of Angantyr"

• attestation: The saga preserves three fine poems: Hervor's dialogue at Samso barrows, the Gothic-Hunnic battle, and the Riddles

  "two of the finest Norse poems that we possess--the dialogue between Hervör and Angantyr at the Barrows of Samsó, and the narrative of the great battle between the Goths and the Huns"

• attestation: Hervor stands at sunrise on a tower looking southward seeing clouds of dust and glittering armor

  "Hervör standing at sunrise on the summit of the tower and looking southward towards the forest"

• attestation: The dialogue at the barrows is pervaded by an atmosphere of terror and mystery

  "an atmosphere of terror and mystery pervades the whole poem."

Stories And Ballads > part likewise seems to be a story of the Viking Age. Towards the end, > The Saga Of HervöR And Heithrek

• attestation: Hervor grew up beautiful, tall and strong, training herself in bow, shield and sword

  "She grew up to be a beautiful girl. She was tall and strong, and trained herself in the use of bow, shield and sword."

• attestation: Hervor ran away to the woods, killing people for money, and was caught and brought home by the Earl

  "she ran away to the woods and killed people to provide herself with money. And when the Earl heard of it, he had her caught and brought home"

• attestation: Hervor departed dressed and armed like a man, joined vikings calling herself Hervarth

  "she departed alone, dressed and armed like a man, and joined some vikings and stayed with them for a time, calling herself Hervarth."

• attestation: After the viking chief died, Hervor took command of the band

  "Shortly afterwards the chief of the vikings died, and Hervarth took command of the band."

• attestation: Hervor went to Samso seeking treasure in the barrows at sunset while her men refused to follow

  "Hervarth landed; but her men would not follow her, saying that it was not safe for anyone to be out of doors there by night."

• attestation: A shepherd boy warned Hervor that burning flame plays over the barrows after sunset

  "Burning flame plays over them as soon as the sun has"

• attestation: The shepherd warned it was foolish to come alone to the fearsome burning barrows after sunset

  "Foolish is he who comes here alone In the fearsome dark when the sun has gone And the flames are mounting high"

• attestation: Hervor declared they should not fear the noble warriors buried there but talk with them tonight

  "Let us not lightly give way to fear Of the noble warriors buried here, But talk with them tonight."

• attestation: The shepherd fled into the forest while Hervor's hard-knit heart rose proudly

  "But the shepherd lad fled fast away, Nor stayed to hear what the youth would say, But into the forest sped; While in Hervör's breast rose proud and high Her hard-knit heart"

• attestation: Hervor passed fearlessly through the barrow fires to reach the berserks' barrow

  "She could now see the fires of the barrows and the ghosts standing outside; and she approached the barrows fearlessly and passed through the fires as if they had been merely smoke"

• attestation: Hervor called on Angantyr to awaken and give her Tyrfing, the sword the dwarfs made for Svafrlami

  "Awaken, Angantyr, hearken to me! The only daughter of Tofa and thee Is here and bids thee awake! Give me from out the barrow's shade The keen-edged sword which the dwarfs once made For Svafrlami's sake."

• attestation: Hervor named herself the only daughter of Tofa and Angantyr

  "The only daughter of Tofa and thee"

• attestation: Hervor called on all the sons of Arngrim to appear clad in mail with shield and broadsword

  "Hervarth, Hjörvarth, Angantyr, And Hrani, under the tree-roots here, I bid you now appear;-- Clad in harness and coat of mail"

• attestation: Hervor identified herself as the only daughter of Tofa and Angantyr bidding him awake

  "Awaken, Angantyr, hearken to me! The only daughter of Tofa and thee Is here and bids thee awake!"

• attestation: Hervor demanded the keen-edged sword from the barrow's shade

  "Give me from out the barrow's shade The keen-edged sword which the dwarfs once made"

• attestation: Hervor cursed all the dead in the barrows to moulder and rot with spirits in the tomb

  "On all you dead this curse I cry:-- Mouldering and rotting shall ye lie With the spirits in the tomb!"

• attestation: Hervor declared herself a mortal maiden arousing corpses who would not be denied the sword

  "A mortal maiden is she who comes, Arousing the corpses within their tombs, And will not be denied"

• attestation: Hervor declared she yearned to handle the sword and cared not for tomb fires

  "There lives, O Angantyr, a maid Who yearns to handle the keen-edged blade, And such a maid am I!"

• attestation: Angantyr warned that the tomb fires sink before Hervor's gaze

  "They sink and tremble before my gaze"

• attestation: Hervor grew tired of piracy and returned to her Earl grandfather's home to work embroidery

  "Hervör spent a long time in piracy and had great success. And when she grew tired of that she went home to the Earl, her mother's father. There she behaved like other girls, working at her embroidery"

• attestation: Someone drew Tyrfing at the chess game and Hervarth snatched it and slew the person

  "somebody took up Tyrfing and drew it. When Hervarth saw this, he snatched the sword out of his hands, and slew him"