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Frá dauða Sinfjötla Sinfjotli's Death Translation by Lee M. Hollander of Frá dauða Sinfjötla in the Poetic Edda, from which the following is taken. Back Source Texts Index |
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Sigmund, son of Volsung, was king over Frankland. His eldest son was hight Sinfjötli, 2 the second, Helgi, and the third Hámund. Borghild, Sigmund's wife, had a brother called...; 3 but Sinfjotli, her stepson, and...wooed the same woman. Therefore Sinfjotli slew him. When he returned, Borghild bade him betake himself away; but Sigmund offered weregild, and this she had to take. At the arvel, Borghild handed ale about. She took poison, a big drinking horn full, and handed it to Sinfjotli. But when he looked into the horn he saw that there was poison in it and said to Sigmund, "Muddied is the ale, father!" Sigmund grasped the horn and finished it off. It is told of Sigmund that he was proof against poison, so that it would not harm him within nor without. But his sons could stand poison only without, on their skin. Borghild brought Sinfjotli another horn and bade him drink of it, and all happened as before. Still a third time she handed him the horn, shaming him ifhe drank not. Sinfjotli spoke as before to his father. Sigmund siad: "Let your beard filter it, my son!" Sinfjotli drank, and forthwith fell down dead. Sigmund carried him a long way in his arms until he came to a firth which was both long and narrow. There lay a small boat, and in it was a man. He offered to ferry Sigmund over. But when Sigmund had borne the body into the boat there was no more room in it for another person. The man told Sigmund to walk around the firth; then he shoved the boat off and forthwith vanished. 4 King Sigmund dwelled for a long time in Denmark in Borghild's realm, after marrying her; but afterwards he fared south to Frankland to the kingdom over which he himself had sway. There he married Hjordís, the daughter of King Eylimi, and their son was Sigurth. King Sigmund fell in battle against the sons of Hunding. Then Hjordís married Álf, the son of King Hjálprek. 5 The boy Sigurth 6 grew up at his court. Both Sigmund and all his sons were far above other men in strength, in stature, in hardihood, and in all manly feats; but Sigurth was foremost of them all, and about him men are at one in the olden tales, tht he was the noblest of men and the greatest of leaders in war.
Back to Top ________________________________________________________ The Poetic Edda Translated by Lee M Hollander © 1962 ISBN 0-292-76499-5 LCCCN 61-10045 Fifth paperback printing 1994 University of Texas Press Box 7819, Austin, Texas, 78713-7819 _______________________________________________________ Notes 1.
This link, in very mediocre prose, was placed here by teh Collector
to form a transition to the Sigurth lays. It might with equal justice
be entitled "O Sigurth's Origin."
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