Stories

The Lay of Volund

A skilled smith is confined by a royal house on an island; the poem ends with his violent revenge and flight. Contains coercion and violence.

Chapters

01
Three Brothers and Swan-Maidens
Volund, Egil and Slagfith meet three swan-maidens beside Wolf Lake.
Volund Egil Slagfith Alvit Olrun Svanhvit
02
The Women Leave; the Brothers Divide
In the eighth winter the three women leave; Egil and Slagfith depart to seek their companions, while Volund stays behind to wait.
Volund Egil Slagfith Alvit Olrun Svanhvit
03
Nithud Seizes the Smith
Hearing that Volund lives alone, Nithud sends men to seize him while he sleeps.
Nithud Volund
04
Sword, Ring and Captivity
Nithud takes Volund's sword and ring, giving the ring to Bodvild.
Nithud Volund Bodvild
05
Confinement in the Island Workshop
Nithud disables Volund's movement and confines him on an island in the lake to forge for the royal house.
Nithud Volund Volund's Island Workshop
06
Bodvild Brings the Broken Ring
Bodvild brings the broken ring to the island and asks Volund to mend it.
Bodvild Volund Volund's Island Workshop
07
Revenge on the Princes
Volund kills the two unnamed princes, entwining the royal house's loss with objects reshaped by his craft.
Volund Nithud's Two Sons Nithud Volund's Island Workshop
08
Coercion and Flight
After coercing Bodvild, Volund flies away; Nithud remains on the ground to face the deaths of his sons and the harm to his daughter.
Volund Bodvild Nithud

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