Sinfjotli
Called Helgi's brother in the poem, he answers the hostile side before the fleet.
Overview
Sinfjotli is Sigmund's son and appears in this lay as Helgi's brother and companion. His flyting with Gothmund remains a source-specific side thread; its insults are not treated as reliable biography.
Key facts
Brother and flyting
The poem names him a son of Sigmund; the insults in stanzas 33–48 are scoped context, not fact.
Travels with Helgi
When Helgi sets out, the poem places Sinfjotli among his companions.
Relationships
- Helgi Hundingsbanebrothers
The poem calls Sinfjotli Helgi's brother.
- Gothmundconfronts in hostile speech
After the hostile side sees the fleet, Sinfjotli and Gothmund trade hostile speech.
- Borghilddemands that he leave
demands that he leave
- Borghildbrings poisoned horns at the funeral feast
brings poisoned horns at the funeral feast
- Sigmundtells him to let the drink run through his beard
tells him to let the drink run through his beard
- Sigmundcarries the body to the fjord
carries the body to the fjord
Story appearances
- The First Lay of Helgi HundingsbaneBrother who travels with Helgi
Sinfjotli travels with Helgi; his flyting with Gothmund remains only a side thread.
- Fra Dautha Sinfjotla: Three Poisoned Horns and the FjordFigure in Fra Dautha Sinfjotla
Called Helgi's brother in the poem, he answers the hostile side before the fleet.
Ancient sources
MythWeave distinguishes ancient-source evidence from later adaptations and modern interpretation.
- Anonymous, Poetic Edda, Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, Bellows stanzas 1–58: Helgi's birth, Hunding and his sons, Sigrun's pledge, voyage, Hothbrodd, and the battle at Frekastein; stanzas 33–48 flyting are outside this story spine.
- Anonymous; translated by Henry Adams Bellows, The Poetic Edda: Fra Dautha Sinfjotla, Opening prose: the death of Borghild’s unnamed brother, her demand that Sinfjotli leave, and Sigmund’s compensation.
- Anonymous; translated by Henry Adams Bellows, The Poetic Edda: Fra Dautha Sinfjotla, Funeral-feast prose: Borghild brings three poisoned horns; Sigmund drinks the first two, and Sinfjotli dies after the third.
- Anonymous; translated by Henry Adams Bellows, The Poetic Edda: Fra Dautha Sinfjotla, Closing prose: Sigmund carries the body to a fjord; an unnamed ferryman takes it away and disappears, before the prose turns to Sigmund and Sigurth.