MMythWeaveNorse Mythology Library
Hero

Sigurd

Son of Sigmund and Hjordis; he kills Fafnir with Gram and carries the cursed gold into Giuki's court.

Norse Lichen iron editorial illustration of Sigurd for the atlas detail view.
MythWeave AI-generated editorial illustration, Norse portrait v1 full approved batch

Overview

Sigurd joins heroic lineage, the god-left sword, dwarf craft, dragon and cursed gold. His victory does not end the danger; it carries the treasure into marriage, oaths and Giuki’s court.

Key facts

Fostered by Regin

Chapter XIII makes Regin Sigurd’s fosterer, placing the Fafnir quest beside him from youth.

Further spoiler details are available in the interactive atlas.

Relationships

  • Sigmundson of

    Sigurd is Sigmund’s son.

  • Hjordismother of

    Hjordis is Sigurd’s mother.

  • Reginfosters and trains

    Regin fosters Sigurd and gradually turns him toward Fafnir.

  • Granichooses as mount

    Sigurd gains Grani as his mount.

  • Graminherits reforged sword

    Gram is reforged from Sigmund’s shards and becomes Sigurd’s dragon-slaying sword.

  • Fafnirslays

    Sigurd kills Fafnir.

  • Cursed Goldtakes gold

    After killing Fafnir and Regin, Sigurd takes the treasure.

  • Reginkills

    Sigurd kills Regin after Fafnir dies.

  • Brynhildmeets and pledges

    Sigurd meets Brynhild on the mountain, and their pledge later becomes a root of conflict.

  • Gudrunmarries

    Sigurd marries Gudrun at Giuki’s court.

  • Gunnarhelps win bride

    Sigurd helps Gunnar win Brynhild.

  • Sigurd's Deathends life

    Sigurd’s Death ends Sigurd’s heroic route.

  • Guthrun at Sigurd’s Bodylies in the lament scene

    Sigurd’s body is the focus of Guthrun’s lament.

  • Gollrondunveils the shroud

    Gollrond has Sigurd’s shroud lifted and his head placed on Guthrun’s knees.

  • Gudrunweeps for him

    After seeing Sigurd’s head, eyes, and chest wound, Guthrun finally weeps.

  • Gunnarswears oaths with him

    Sigurd trusts Gunnar and swears mighty oaths with Gjuki’s sons.

  • Hogniswears oaths with him

    Sigurd and Hogni are both inside the oaths of Gjuki’s sons.

  • Gunnargives Guthrun in marriage

    Gjuki’s house gives Guthrun and many jewels to Sigurd.

  • Gunnarrides to woo with him

    Sigurd rides with Gunnar to woo Brynhild.

  • Brynhildsets a sword between them

    The Short Lay says Sigurd sets a bare sword between himself and Brynhild in bed.

  • Brynhildsays she wants him

    Sitting alone at day’s end, Brynhild says she will have Sigurd, even if he dies in her arms.

  • Gotthormstrikes him dead

    After a gap, the Short Lay says the sword stands in Sigurd’s heart.

  • Gotthormkills him in return

    Sigurd rises in the hall and hurls his sword at Gotthorm, cutting him down.

  • Gudrunwakes beside him

    Guthrun had slept beside Sigurd and wakes lying in his blood.

  • Gudrunwarns that their son cannot escape

    Sigurd says their young son cannot flee the home of his enemies.

  • Brynhildnames her in his dying words

    In his dying words, Sigurd says all blame lies with Brynhild.

  • Cursed Goldbrings Fafnir’s gold

    Brynhild says Sigurd arrives with the gold Fafnir guarded.

  • Brynhildsleeps beside her untouched

    Brynhild says they shared one bed for eight nights without a loving touch, as though brother and sister.

  • Brynhildclaims they still live together

    Brynhild says she and Sigurd will still live together, and tells the giantess to sink down.

  • Gunnaraccuses of oath-breaking

    Gunnar says Sigurd broke his oaths to him.

  • The Outdoor Killing South of the Rhineoutdoor killing ends him

    The Fragment says Sigurd was slain south of the Rhine.

  • Gudrunlaments him

    Guthrun laments Sigurd in the poem’s response to his death.

  • Brynhildaffirms his oaths

    Brynhild says Sigurd held true to oaths given Gunnar.

  • Brynhildrecalls the sword between

    Brynhild says a sharp sword lay between them.

  • Giukigives Guthrun

    gives Guthrun

  • Gudruncontinues to remember

    continues to remember

  • Svanhildfathers Svanhild

    fathers Svanhild

  • Gudruncalls to Sigurth

    calls to Sigurth

  • Reginleads to Gnitaheith

    leads to Gnitaheith

  • Fafnirstrikes from the trench to the heart

    strikes from the trench to the heart

  • Fafnirquestions the dragon-slayer's identity

    questions the dragon-slayer's identity

  • Fafnirwarns that the hoard will bring ruin

    warns that the hoard will bring ruin

  • Reginplots against Sigurth while he rests

    plots against Sigurth while he rests

  • Brynhildbird-speech points toward the sleeping battle-maid

    bird-speech points toward the sleeping battle-maid

  • Graniloads the hoard onto Grani

    loads the hoard onto Grani

  • Cursed Goldtakes Fafnir's hoard

    takes Fafnir's hoard

  • Brynhildfinds the sleeping battle-maid in the shield-tower

    finds the sleeping battle-maid in the shield-tower

  • Brynhildcuts the mail and wakes her

    cuts the mail and wakes her

  • Brynhildgives a memory-draught of mead

    gives a memory-draught of mead

  • Brynhildteaches rune-lore

    teaches rune-lore

  • Brynhildoffers him a choice of speech or silence

    offers him a choice of speech or silence

  • Brynhilddoes not flee despite approaching fate

    does not flee despite approaching fate

  • Brynhilddelivers the surviving counsels

    delivers the surviving counsels

  • Regintells of kin and hoard

    tells of kin and hoard

  • Reginputs his father’s vengeance first

    puts his father’s vengeance first

  • Odintravels with him as Hnikar

    travels with him as Hnikar

  • Sons of Hundingkills Hunding’s sons

    kills Hunding’s sons

  • Reginurges him again toward Fafnir

    urges him again toward Fafnir

  • Gripirforetells vengeance on Hunding’s sons

    foretells vengeance on Hunding’s sons

  • Gripiris pressed to foretell his death

    is pressed to foretell his death

Story appearances

Ancient sources

MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.

Open in the interactive atlas →