THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS
(VOLSUNGA SAGA)
With excerpts from the Poetic Edda
Originally written in Icelandic (Old Norse) in the thirteenth century A.D., by an unknown hand. However, most of the material is based substantially on previous works, some centuries older. A few of these works have been preserved in the collection of Norse poetry known as the "Poetic Edda".
The text of this edition is based on that published as "The Story of the Volsungs", translated by William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson (Walter Scott Press, London, 1888). This edition is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN in the United States.
CONTENTS
Volsunga Saga: Introduction
Volsunga Saga: Translators' Preface
Chapter I: Of Sigi, the Son of Odin
Chapter II: Of the Birth of Volsung, the Son of Rerir, who was the Son of Sigi
Chapter III: Of the Sword that Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the Branstock
Chapter IV: How King Siggeir wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his son to Gothland
Chapter V: Of the Slaying of King Volsung
Chapter VI: Of how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to Sigmund
Chapter VII: Of the Birth of Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund
Chapter VIII: The Death of King Siggeir and of Stigny
Chapter IX: How Helgi, the son of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his Realm, and wedded Sigurn
Chapter X: The ending of Sinfjatli, Sigmund's Son
Chapter XI: Of King Sigmund's last battle, and of how he must yield up his sword again
Chapter XII: Of the shards of the sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King Alf
Chapter XIII: Of the birth and waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane
Chapter XIV: Regin's tale of his brothers, and of the gold called Andvari's Hoard
Chapter XV: Of the Welding together of the Shards of the Sward Gram
Chapter XVI: The prophecy of Grifir
Chapter XVII: Of Sigurd's Avenging of Sigmund his Father
Chapter XVIII: Of the Slaying of the Worm Fafnir
Chapter XIX: Of the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar
Chapter XX: Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the Mountain
Chapter XXI: More Wise Words of Brynhild
Chapter XXII: Of the Semblance and Array of Sigurd Fafnir's bane
Chapter XXIII: Sigurd comes to Hlymdale
Chapter XXIV: Sigurd sees Brynhild at Hlymdale
Chapter XXV: Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter
Chapter XXVI
Chapter XXVII: The Wooing of Brynhild
Chapter XXVIII: How the Queens held angry converse together at the Bathing
Chapter XXIX: Of Brynhild's great Grief and Mourning
Chapter XXX: Of the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane
Chapter XXXI: Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd's dead, as it is told in ancient Songs
Chapter XXXII: Of the Ending of Brynhild
Chapter XXXIII: Gudrun wedded to Atli
Chapter XXXIV: Atli bids the Giukings to him
Chapter XXXV: The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings
Chapter XXXVI: Of the Journey of the Giukings to King Atli
Chapter XXXVII: The Battle in the Burg of King Atli
Chapter XXXVIII: Of the slaying of the Giukings
Chapter XXXIX: The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk
Chapter XL: How Gudrun cast herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore again
Chapter XLI: Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild
Chapter XLII: Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge Swanhild
Chapter XLIII: The Latter End of all the Kin of the Giukings
APPENDIX: Excerpts from the
Poetic Edda
Part of the Second Lay of Helgi Hundings-Bane
Part of the Lay of Sigrdrifa
The Lay Called the Short Lay of Sigurd
The Hell-Ride of Brynhild
Fragments of the Lay of Brynhild
The Second or Ancient Lay of Gudrun
The Song of Atli
The Whetting of Gudrun
The Lay of Hamdir
The Lament of Oddrun