Völsung

In Norse mythology, Völsung was murdered by the Geatish king Siggeir and avenged by one of his sons, Sigmund and his daughter Signy who was married to Siggeir. Völsung was the common ancestor of the ill-fortuned clan of the Vǫlsungs, including the greatest of Norse heroes, Sigurd. Their legend is known in Norse myth through Volsungasaga and Dráp Niflunga and in Old German through the Nibelungenlied.

In the English epic Beowulf, when the Geatish warrior Beowulf has killed Grendel, a Danish bard at Hrothgar's court sings about Sigemund and his father Waels.

Synopsis

Völsung was the great-grandson of Odin himself, and it was Odin who made sure that Völsung would be born. Völsung's parents, who were the king and queen of Gautland could not have any children until Odin and his consort Frigg sent them an apple of fertility carried by Frigg's messenger Gna. Völsung's father, Rerir died shortly after this, but his wife was pregnant for six years, until she had enough. She commanded that the child be delivered by caesarean section, an operation that in those days cost the life of the mother. Völsung was a strong child and he kissed his mother before she died.

He was immediately proclaimed king of Hunaland and when he had grown up he married the giantess Ljod. Together they had ten sons and one daughter. The youngest of their children were the twins Signy, their daughter, and Sigmund, the most courageous and beautiful of their sons.

Völsung built himself a great hall in the centre of which stood a large oak tree called the Branstokk. Siggeir, the King of the Geats, soon arrived and proposed to Signy. Both Völsung and his sons approved, but Signy was less enthusiastic.

A great wedding was held in the hall, when suddenly a stranger appeared. He was a tall old man with only one eye and could not be anybody else but Odin. He went to the apple tree, took his sword and stuck it deep into the trunk. Odin told everyone that the sword was meant for the man who could pull the sword from the apple tree. Then he vanished.

Everyone at the wedding tried to pull the sword but only Sigmund succeeded, and he did so effortlessly. Siggeir, his brother-in-law, offered thrice its weight in gold for the sword, but Sigmund scornfully said no. This greatly angered Siggeir, and he swore that one day the sword would be his and he would be revenged on the Volsung family. He returned home the next day, ending the wedding feast early. Before he left he invited the Volsungs to conclude the feast with him when the winter had passed.

Three months later Volsung and his sons sailed to Siggeir's land. They were met by Signy, who warned them that Siggeir intended to ambush them. They refused to turn back whereupon Signy cried and implored them to go home. Soon they were attacked by Siggeir's army. Völsung fell and his ten sons were taken captive.

For the continued story, see Sigmund.

External links

• Read the Volsunga Saga Here, translated by William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson.
• Timeless Myths: Volsunga Saga
• The Story of Sigurd. The Volsunga Saga retold by Andrew Lang.
• Modern English translation of Beowulf by Francis Barton Gummere
• Modern English translation of Beowulf by John Lesslie Hall
• translation of Nibelungenlied by Daniel B. Shumway
• Drap Niflunga in translation by Bellows