The Völsunga Saga on Swanhild
The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXII. Of the Ending of Brynhild.
- attestation: Brynhild prophesies Swanhild shall be sent from the land to King Jormunrek and destroyed by Bikki's counsel, ending the Giukung kin
"Swanhild shall be sent from the land and given to King Jormunrek; and her shall bite the rede of Bikki, and therewithal is the kin of you clean gone"
The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XL. How Gudrun cast herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore
attestation: Swanhild excelled other women as far as the sun excels other lights of heaven
"as far did she excel other woman-kind as the sun excels the other lights of heaven."
attestation: Swanhild was nourished in Jonakr's household
"there was Swanhild nourished withal."
The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XLI. Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild.
attestation: The wooing was accomplished and Swanhild went to the ship with a goodly company, sitting beside Randver
"the wooing accomplished; and Swanhild went to the ship with a goodly company, and sat in the stern beside the king's son."
attestation: When Swanhild opened her eyes wide the horses dared not trample her; Bikki ordered a bag drawn over her head and she was killed
"when she opened her eyes wide, then the horses durst not trample her; so when Bikki beheld that, he bade draw a bag over the head of her; and they did so, and therewith she lost her life."
The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XLI. Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild. > Endnotes
- comparison: In the Prose Edda, Swanhild's slaying is spontaneous: the king came from hunting, saw Swanhild washing linen, and he and his men rode over her
"In the prose Edda the slaying of Swanhild is a spontaneous and sudden act on the part of the king."
The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > The Whetting Of Gudrun.
- attestation: Swanhild was given to Jormunrek the Mighty; Bikki counselled Randver to take her, then told the king, who had Randver hanged and Swanhild trodden under horses' feet
"she was given to Jormunrek the Mighty. Now Bikki was a man of his, and gave such counsel to Randver, the king's son, as that he should take her"