The Norse sagas often feel like modern soap operas when you read them, with the characters trapped in a cycle of love, betrayal, and vengeance. This is particularly true for the Volsunga Saga, probably the best-known of the Norse sagas, especially since it inspired Wagner’s Viking operas and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
What actually happens in the Volsunga Saga? This is our third and final post looking at the Volsunga Saga.
Where we left off, our main protagonist Sigurd, had just killed the dragon Fafnir.
Brynhild the Valkyrie
Sigurd rode home from his encounter with the dragon Fafnir, he came upon a fort. He entered and saw a warrior in full armor sleeping there. But when he removed the warrior’s helm, he saw that it was a woman. She seemed to be held in place by an extremely tight mail shirt, so he used his sword to cut it off.
This woke the woman, who asked what weapon was strong enough to cut through mail. This is how Sigurd met Brynhild, and he asked how she came to be sleeping along in the fort.
Byrnhild was a Valkyrie, a shieldmaiden of Odin responsible for helping him determine the outcomes of battles. She explained that there was a battle between an old and fine warrior, Hjalmgunnar, and a young warrior, Agnar, and that Odin had promised victory to the former. But during the battle, she struck down Odin’s favored victor.
In punishment, Odin expelled Brynhild from the Valkyries and ordered her to marry. She vowed that she would only marry a man who did not know fear.
Magical Runes
Sigurd recognized that Byrnhild had secret and divine wisdom, so he asked her to teach him. She then taught him many rune magic secrets. These included:
- War runes to put in a sword for victory
- Wave runes to reach your destination by sea
- Speech runes to ensure you are convincing
- Runes to detect poison
- Life runes to help with childbirth
- Twig runes to heal the sick
- Mind runes to learn the thoughts of other men
- Shield runes for defense
She also gave him advice on how to behave to win friendship and respect among his people. This included showing forgiveness to his family, to be careful with his lust, not to waste time with fools, and to be careful with his words.
Recognizing the wisdom in everything she said, Sigurd declared that he would marry Brynhild, and she agreed. But they did not marry at that time.
A Hero’s Return
Sigurd rose away decked out in gold. His armor and shield were all made from gold and decorated with dragons to advertise his great feat in killing Fafnir. Using the things he had learned from Brynhild, he quickly became the most famous warrior in the land.
He came to a large estate ruled by a chief called Heimir, who was married to Byrnhild’s sister, Bekkhild, who was a Volva witch. He was welcomed by the couple’s son, Alsvid.
Brynhild arrived there shortly after, but kept to herself in a tower, embroidering in gold the deeds of Sigurd. But, since he had gained the ability to speak to birds, he saw her in her tower and still believed her to be the best and most beautiful or women, so he went to her.
While Brynhild loved Sigurd, she wanted to be a warrior, not a wife, and so proclaimed that he would marry Gudrun, daughter of King Gjuki. But Sigurd denied it, saying that he would only marry Brynhild. But still unmarried, Sigurd left on further adventures.
Love Spells
Sigurd came to the kingdom of Gudrun and met his three sons, Gunna, Hogni, and Guttorm, his daughter Gudrun, and his witch-wife Grimhild. Sigurd was treated like one of the king’s sons, though his deeds outstripped those of his new brothers.
Gudrun had a strange dream that she could not interpret, so she went to Brynhild to ask her what it meant. Upon hearing the dream, she explained that, despite being betrothed to her, Gudrun would marry Sigurd ad that it would result in great sorrow for everyone.
Meanwhile, Grimhild had decided that Sigurd would make a good husband for Gudrun but was also aware of his love for Brynhild. She gave him a magical drink that made him lose all memory of Brynhild. Soon, the two were married, and she gave birth to a son, Sigmund.
Meanwhile, Grimhild encouraged her son Gunnar to seek Brynhild as a wife.
Winning Brynhild
Sigurd accompanied Gunnar as he went to court Brynhild. Her family informed them that she would only marry the man brave enough to ride through the fire that surrounded her tower.
Gunnar tried to ride his horse through the fire, but his steed refused, so he asked Sigurd to lend him his great horse Grani, but he also refused. Therefore, the pair exchanged appearances, using a spell that had learned from Grimhild. With Sigurd on his back, Grani agreed to go through the fire.
When he found Brynhild, he pretended to be Gunnar and claimed her as his wife. She was forced to agree to marry him.
Sigurd as Gunnar stayed there with her for three nights, and they shared the same bed, he placed his sword between them each night to ensure that nothing happened.
They all went back to Gunnar’s kingdom, where Byrnhild married the real Gunnar. During the wedding celebrations, Sigurd’s memories of Byrnhild returned, but he said nothing.
Female Conflict
As in many sagas, while Sigurd is praised for his restraint, issued arose due to conflict between the women. Brynhild told Gudrun that she was the son of a great king, while her husband, Sigurd, was little better than a king’s slave. This upset Gudrun, who recounted the great deeds of her husband. In doing show, he revealed that it was Sigurd, and not Gunnar, who had ridden through the flames.
Brynhild grew dejected and resentful over the coming days, but Gudrun, not knowing the reason why, tried to cheer her up, which only made matters worse. Eventually, Brynhild revealed the vows that she and Sigurd had made and how much she resented Gudrun.
Gunnar later confronted her about her behavior, and a great rift was created between them as Brynhild could no longer be happy. She fed her hatred, while Sigurd accepted his situation, despite his continued love for Brynhild.
The Bloody Finale
Eventually Brynhild told Gunnar that she would leave him and return to her family if he did not kill Sigurd and his son. While his brother Hogni tried to talk Gunnar out of it, the pair eventually convinced their younger brother Guttorm to do it, giving him a magical potion to drink to help him achieve it.
The boy stabbed Sigurd as he lay sleeping beside his wife. But Sigurd still had the strength to throw his sword at the boy, cutting his body into two.
Brynhild laughed as Gudrun mourned, but her husband immediately recognized that this was not a laugh of happiness and called her a monster.
Brynhild stabbed herself beneath the arm with a sword. As she bled out, she told Gunnar the future. Gudrun, currently pregnant, would give birth to a beautiful daughter Svanhild; the widow would then be married against her will to King Atli. Gunnar will want to marry Oddrun, but Atli will forbid it. When he starts meeting her secretly, Atli will kill him by throwing him in a snake pit. Gudrun will avenge his death and then marry King Jonakr and have many noble sons. She then asked for a shared funeral pyre to be made for her, Sigurd, and all others who had died in this matter.
The story ends by recounting what happened to Gunnar an his family, unfolding just as Brynhild predicted.
Mjolnir Pendants in the VKNG Collection
Viking warriors like Sigurd wore Thor’s Hammer Mjolnir pendants as symbols of the protection of the gods. Find your perfect Mjolnir in the VKNG collection, all inspired by real pendants from the Viking Age.
This design is based on a 10th-century Mjolnir pendant found at Östergötland, Sweden. It features swirling loops, which were extremely common for jewelry decoration in the Viking Age.
This design is based on a Mjolnir pendant found in Scania, Sweden. The handle of the hammer looks like a raven or a warrior’s head, a common feature of many Mjolnir designs. It is probably a reference to Odin, the god of war and ravens.
This pendant is based on a Mjolnir amulet found on Bornholm Island, Denmark. The pattern of round circles was a common design on Norse jewelry, especially Mjolnir pendants.
This pendant is based on a 10th-century artifact from Iceland. It has a distinctive design with its wolf-head clasp and what seems to be a Christian cross integrated into the design. It dates to a time when Iceland was in the process of converting to Christianity, and religious lines and symbolism were being blurred.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How did Sigurd first meet the Valkyrie Brynhild after slaying the dragon?
Sigurd discovered Brynhild sleeping inside a remote fort while she was trapped in an exceptionally tight suit of mail armor. He used his legendary sword to cut the armor off, waking her from the deep slumber Odin had placed her in.
Why did Odin strip Brynhild of her status as a Valkyrie and force her into exile?
Odin punished Brynhild because she defied his divine will during a battle by striking down his favored victor. As a consequence, Odin expelled her from the Valkyries and decreed that she must marry a mortal man.
How did Queen Grimhild cleverly destroy Sigurd’s vow to marry Brynhild?
Queen Grimhild engineered a plan to marry Sigurd to her daughter Gudrun by exploiting her knowledge of his love for the Valkyrie. She secretly gave Sigurd a magical potion that caused him to completely lose his memory of Brynhild.
What unique challenge did Brynhild set for any warrior wishing to win her hand in marriage?
Brynhild declared that she would only marry the man who possessed the immense courage required to ride a horse through the wall of fire surrounding her tower. Because she had vowed only to marry a man who knew no fear, she used this magical barrier to test her suitors.
How did Sigurd secretly help his brother-in-law Gunnar successfully win Brynhild?
Sigurd used a shape-shifting spell learned from Queen Grimhild to exchange physical appearances with Gunnar so he could bypass the flames. He then rode his legendary horse Grani through the fire and claimed Brynhild while disguised as her suitor.
