The greatest hero of Norse legend, the dragon-slayer who won the cursed treasure of Andvari and woke the valkyrie Brynhildr from her enchanted sleep.
Sigurðr is the central figure of the Völsunga saga and the Eddic poems concerning the fate of the Gjukungar. Born of Sigmundr and Hjördís, he was fostered by the smith Reginn, who taught him all manner of craft and lore. Reginn forged the sword Gramr for him, and with it Sigurðr slew the dragon Fáfnir on the heath of Gnita and claimed the cursed treasure of Andvari.
After slaying Fáfnir, Sigurðr ate the dragon's heart and gained the ability to understand the speech of birds. He then rode through Hindfjall and woke the valkyrie Brynhildr, who lay in enchanted sleep surrounded by flames. Their bond was broken when Sigurðr drank a potion of forgetfulness at the court of the Gjukungar, married Guðrún, and helped Gunnarr win Brynhildr. Sigurðr was ultimately slain in his bed by Guttormr at Brynhildr's instigation.
Sources in the Eddas
- Fáfnismál
- The dialogue between Sigurðr and the dying Fáfnir, and the counsel of the birds. Own translation.
- Reginsmál
- Reginn's counsel to Sigurðr and the story of Andvari's treasure. Own translation.
- Sigrdrifumál
- Brynhildr's runic wisdom to Sigurðr after her awakening. Own translation.
- Völsunga saga
- The most complete prose account of Sigurðr's life and death. Own translation.
Interpretive traditions
A What we know
Sigurðr is documented in several surviving Eddic poems and the Völsunga saga, making him one of the best-attested heroic figures in Old Norse literature.
B What we think we know
Most scholars regard the Sigurðr figure as a synthesis of several historical and mythological models, with roots in Frankish and Burgundian chieftain tradition from the Migration period.