The Völsunga Saga on Sigrun

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER IX. How Helgi, the son of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his

• attestation: Sigrun, daughter of King Hogni, asked Helgi to rescue her from a betrothal to Hodbrod son of King Granmar

  "she named herself Sigrun, and said she was daughter of King Hogni.

Then said Helgi, "Fare home with us: good welcome shall ye have!""

• attestation: Sigrun declared she would rather be with Helgi than Hodbrod, comparing the unwanted suitor to a crow's son

  "I have vowed a vow that I will have him to my husband no more than if he were a crow's son and not a king's"

• attestation: Sigrun led Helgi's forces to a safe haven called Gnipalund after a fierce storm

  "then came Sigrun, daughter of King Hogni, down on to the beach with a great army, and turned them away thence to a good haven called Gnipalund"

• attestation: Sigrun appeared among shield-maidens like burning flames during the battle

  "folk saw a great company of shield-maidens, like burning flames to look on, and there was come Sigrun, the king's daughter."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Second Lay Of Helgi Hundings-Bane (1) > Sigrun:

• attestation: Sigrun curses Dag, saying all oaths he swore to Helgi shall bite him sore

  "All oaths once sworn Shall bite thee sore, The oaths that to Helgi Once thou swarest"

• attestation: Sigrun curses that Dag's ship, horse, and sword shall never serve him in need

  "May the ship sweep not on That should sweep at its swiftest, Though the wind desired Behind thee driveth! May the horse never run That should run at his most might"

• attestation: Sigrun references the oaths sworn at the bright white Water of Lightening and the cold sea-rock

  "At the bright white Water of Lightening, (3) And at the cold rock That the sea runneth over."

• attestation: Sigrun says she no longer sits happy at Sevafell and cares not for life at dawn or night

  "No more sit I happy At Sevafell; At day-dawn, at night Naught love I my life"

• attestation: Sigrun praises Helgi as dealing fear to all his foes like a goat running from a wolf's rage, and as high above other lords as the ash above thorns

  "In such wise did Helgi Deal fear around To all his foes And all their friends As when the goat runneth Before the wolf's rage"

• attestation: Sigrun says she is as fain of this meeting as the hungry hawks of Odin when they know of slaying or see day dawning with dew

  "Now am I as fain Of this fair meeting, As are the hungry Hawks of Odin, When they wot of the slaying Of the yet warm quarry"

• attestation: Sigrun will kiss her king laid lifeless; she notes Helgi's hair is thick with death's rime and his hands are dead-cold

  "O Helgi, thy hair Is thick with death's rime, With the dew of the dead Is my love all dripping; Dead-cold are the hands Of the son of Hogni"

• attestation: Sigrun has made a bed for Helgi in the mound, kind and without woe, and will come sleep softly at his bosom as when he lived

  "Here, Helgi, for thee A bed have I dight, Kind without woe, O kin of the Ylfings! To thy bosom, O king, Will I come and sleep soft, As I was wont When my lord was living."

• attestation: Sigrun waits for Helgi to come from the halls of Odin but her hope wanes, as ernes sit on ash-boughs and all folk drift toward the Thing of the dreamland

  "Sigmund's offspring From the halls of Odin. O me the hope waneth Of Helgi's coming; For high on the ash-boughs Are the ernes abiding, And all folk drift Toward the Thing of the dreamland."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Second Lay Of Helgi Hundings-Bane (1) > Helgi:

• attestation: A bondmaid of Sigrun went at evening-tide by Helgi's mound and saw him ride toward it with a great company

  "A bondmaid of Sigrun went in the evening-tide by Helgi's mound, and there saw how Helgi rode toward it with a great company"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Second Lay Of Helgi Hundings-Bane (1) > Bondmaid:

• attestation: The bondmaid tells Sigrun to go out from Sevafell to look on the lord of her people, for the mound is uncovered and Helgi has come with bleeding wounds

  "Go out, Sigrun From Sevafell, If thou listest to look on The lord of thy people! For the mound is uncovered Thither is Helgi come, And his wounds are bleeding"

• attestation: Sigrun lived but a little while because of her sorrow and trouble over Helgi's death

  "But a little while lived Sigrun, because of her sorrow and trouble."