A cursed sword forged by dwarves, invincible but deadly to its owner.
Tyrfingr is a legendary sword in Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks. It was forged under compulsion by dwarves and cursed to kill every time it was drawn from the scabbard, never to be sheathed without taking a life.
The sword passed through several generations of Heiðrekr's lineage causing constant tragedy. It embodies a central Old Norse theme: that invincible objects are inseparably bound to fate and destruction.
Attestations
- Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks, kap. 2
- Description of Tyrfingr's forging and curse.