The Völsunga Saga on Sigmund

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER III. Of the Sword that Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the

• attestation: Sigmund alone was able to draw the sword from the Branstock, as if it lay loose before him

  "up comes Sigmund, King Volsung's son, and sets hand to the sword, and pulls it from the stock, even as if it lay loose before him"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER V. Of the Slaying of King Volsung.

• attestation: Over nine nights the she-wolf killed and ate nine of the brothers, leaving only Sigmund alive

  "nine nights together came the she-wolf at midnight, and each night slew and ate up one of the brethren, until all were dead, save Sigmund only"

• attestation: Sigmund seized the she-wolf's tongue in his teeth and tore it out by the roots, killing her

  "he caught the she-wolf's tongue betwixt his teeth, and so hard she started back thereat, and pulled herself away so mightily, setting her feet against the stocks, that all was riven asunder; but he ever held so fast that the tongue came away by the roots, and thereof she had her bane."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER VI. Of how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to

• attestation: Sigmund tested the boys by asking them to knead bread with a bag containing something living (a serpent), and both failed the test

  "I durst not set hand to the meal sack, because somewhat quick lay in the meal."

• attestation: Sigmund killed both of Siggeir's sons on Signy's orders because they lacked the courage needed for vengeance

  "even so he did.

So this winter wears, and the next winter Signy sent her next son to Sigmund; and there is no need to make a long tale thereof, for in like wise went all things, and he slew the child by the counsel of Signy."

• attestation: Sigmund hid in the woods and Signy built him an underground earth-house

  "she goes and finds her brother, and they take counsel in such wise as to make a house underground in the wild-wood"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER VII. Of the Birth of Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund.

• comparison: Sigmund could eat venom without harm, but Sinfjotli could only withstand poison on his skin, not ingested

  "Sigmund was so mighty a man that he might eat venom and have no hurt therefrom; but Sinfjotli might abide whatso venom came on the outside of him, but might neither eat nor drink thereof."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER VIII. The Death of King Siggeir and of Signy.

• attestation: Sigmund learned the healing herb by watching a weasel heal its companion, then a raven brought him the same herb

  "he saw where two weasels went, and how that one bit the other in the throat, and then ran straightway into the thicket, and took up a leaf and laid it on the wound"

• attestation: The enchanted men were kings' sons bound to wolf form by a spell

  "they were kings' sons"

• attestation: The wolf-skins could only be removed every tenth day

  "every tenth day might they come out of those skins"

• attestation: Sigmund hardened Sinfjotli for revenge by raiding through the woods and slaying men for wealth

  "Sigmund thought Sinfjotli over young to help him to his revenge, and will first of all harden him with manly deeds; so in summer-tide they fare wide through the woods and slay men for their wealth"

• attestation: Sigmund believed Sinfjotli was Siggeir's son but noted he had Volsung might with what he thought was Siggeir's evil heart

  "Sigmund deems him to take much after the kin of the Volsungs, though he thinks that he is Siggeir's son, and deems him to have the evil heart of his father, with the might and daring of the Volsungs"

• attestation: Sigmund and Sinfjotli found wolf-skins belonging to spell-bound kings' sons and put them on, becoming wolves

  "they find a certain house, and two men with great gold rings asleep therein: now these twain were spell-bound skin-changers, (1) and wolf-skins were hanging up over them in the house"

• attestation: While in wolf form, they agreed to howl for help only if facing more than seven opponents

  "a word they made betwixt them, that they should risk the onset of seven men, but no more, and that he who was first to be set on should howl in wolfish wise"

• attestation: Sigmund bit Sinfjotli's throat in anger, then healed him using a herb brought by a raven

  "Sigmund rushed at him so hard that he staggered and fell, and Sigmund bit him in the throat."

• attestation: After burning the wolf-skins, they performed many famous deeds in Siggeir's kingdom

  "they burnt them up with fire, and prayed that no more hurt might come to any one from them; but in that uncouth guise they wrought many famous deeds in the kingdom and lordship of King Siggeir."

• attestation: Sigmund and Sinfjotli entered Siggeir's hall and hid in the porch among tuns of ale

  "on a certain day the twain get them gone from their earth-house, and come to the abode of King Siggeir late in the evening, and go into the porch before the hall, wherein were tuns of ale"

• attestation: Sigmund and Sinfjotli were captured after a long fight and imprisoned in a stone barrow divided by a great flat stone

  "he let make a great barrow of stones and turf; and when it was done, let set a great flat stone midmost inside thereof, so that one edge was aloft, the other alow"

• attestation: Sigmund and Sinfjotli set fire to Siggeir's hall while everyone slept

  "they go home to the hall, whenas all men slept there, and bear wood to the hall, and lay fire therein"

• attestation: After the burning, Sigmund returned home, reclaimed his father's kingdom, and became a mighty king

  "Sigmund went back to his father's land, and drave away thence the king, who had set himself down there in the room of king Volsung."

• relationship: Sigmund married Borghild and had two sons: Helgi and Hamund

  "he had to wife one named Borghild, and two sons they had between them, one named Helgi and the other Hamund"

• attestation: Sigmund gave Helgi the gifts of Land of Rings, Sun-litten Hill, and Sharp-shearing Sword at his naming

  "he gives him the name of Helgi, and these matters as tokens thereof, Land of Rings, Sun-litten Hill, and Sharp-shearing Sword"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER X. The ending of Sinfjotli, Sigmund's Son.

• attestation: Sigmund offered Borghild gold and great wealth as weregild for her brother, noting he had never before paid such compensation

  "he would not drive him away, and offered her atonement of gold and great wealth for her brother's life, albeit he said he had never erst given weregild (1) to any for the slaying of a man"

• attestation: On the third drink, drunk Sigmund told Sinfjotli to strain the poison through his lips, and Sinfjotli drank and died

  ""Nay, let the lip strain it out then, O son," quoth Sigmund; and by then was he exceeding drunk with drink, and therefore spake he in that wise.

So Sinfjotli drank, and straightway fell down dead to the ground."

• attestation: Sigmund carried Sinfjotli's body to a firth where a mysterious boatman (Odin) ferried the corpse away and vanished

  "he took the corpse in his arms and fared away to the wood, and went till he came to a certain firth; and there he saw a man in a little boat"

• attestation: After Sinfjotli's death, Sigmund drove Borghild away and she died shortly after

  "Sigmund turned back home, and drave away the queen, and a little after she died."

• attestation: Sigmund continued to rule as the greatest champion and king of the old law

  "Sigmund the king yet ruled his realm, and is deemed ever the greatest champion and king of the old law."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XI. Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his

• attestation: After the wedding Sigmund returned to Hunland with Eylimi as his father-in-law

  "Sigmund went back home to Hunland, and King Eylimi, his father-in-law, with him"

• attestation: Despite his age, Sigmund fought at the forefront of battle and no weapon could harm him thanks to his spae-wrights

  "though Sigmund were old, yet most hardily he fought, and was ever the foremost of his men; no shield or byrny might hold against him"

• attestation: After Sigmund's sword broke, his fortune turned and he fell with King Eylimi and most of their men

  "in this fight fell Sigmund the King, and King Eylimi, his father-in-law, in the fore-front of their battle, and therewith the more part of their folk."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XII. Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to

• attestation: Sigmund died at dawn after instructing Hjordis about their son's destiny

  "Hjordis sat over him till he died at the day-dawning"

• attestation: Sigmund prophesied that Gram's bearer would work deeds that would never be diminished and his name would endure forever

  "shall work many a great work therewith, even such as eld shall never minish; for his name shall abide and flourish as long as the world shall endure"

• attestation: Sigmund prophesied that their unborn son would be the noblest and most famed of the Volsung kin

  "thou art great with a man-child; nourish him well and with good heed, and the child shall be the noblest and most famed of all our kin"

• attestation: Sigmund commanded Hjordis to keep the shards of his broken sword, from which a new sword called Gram would be forged

  "keep well withal the shards of the sword: thereof shall a goodly sword be made, and it shall be called Gram, and our son shall bear it"

• attestation: Dying Sigmund told Hjordis his luck had departed because Odin willed he should never draw sword again

  "my good-hap has departed from me, nor will I suffer myself to be healed, nor wills Odin that I should ever draw sword again, since this my sword and his is broken"

• attestation: Sigmund's death was framed as going to see his departed kin who had gone before him

  "now I grow weary with my wounds, and I will go see our kin that have gone before me."