The Völsunga Saga: Kinship, Betrayal, Honour and Heroism

The Völsunga saga, known in English as the Saga of the Volsungs or Saga of the Völsungs, is a 13th-century Icelandic prose narrative recounting the legendary history of the Völsung dynasty. The saga covers the deeds of figures such as Sigi, Rerir, Völsungr, Sigmundr, Sigurðr, and their descendants, blending heroic legend, dragon-slaying, treasure quests, and tragic family feuds.

The text survives in a single medieval manuscript: NKS 1824 b 4to (c. 1400 CE), housed in the Royal Library, Copenhagen. The saga was composed in Iceland, likely in the second half of the 13th century CE, drawing on older oral traditions and skaldic poetry. It shares material with the Poetic Edda (particularly the heroic poems in the Codex Regius) and the German Nibelungenlied (c. 1200 CE). No earlier written version survives, and the saga's author is unknown. Historical reliability is limited: the narrative is legendary, not historical, though it preserves echoes of Migration Period Germanic traditions (c. 400–600 CE). Archaeological finds (e.g. Migration Age hoards, runestones) offer indirect context, but no direct evidence confirms the Völsungs as real people. Uncertainties surround the saga's exact date, sources, and relationship to continental German versions.

"Odin in the Hall of the Volsungs' by Emil Doepler, depicting Odin plunging the sword into the tree, Barnstokkr.

Manuscript and Transmission

The Völsunga saga is preserved only in NKS 1824 b 4to, a paper manuscript from around 1400 CE. The text was copied by an unknown scribe and includes lacunae and minor errors. It was first edited and published by Carl Christian Rafn in 1836, with later editions by Magnus Olsen (1906–1908), Guðni Jónsson (1954), and others. English translations include William Morris and Eiríkr Magnússon (1870), Margaret Schlauch (1930), R.G. Finch (1965), and Jesse Byock (1990).

The saga's material overlaps with the heroic poems of the Poetic Edda (e.g. Grípisspá, Reginsmál, Fáfnismál, Sigrdrífumál, Brot af Sigurðarkviðu), suggesting the prose author drew on poetic sources. Continental parallels appear in the Middle High German Nibelungenlied and Þiðreks saga (c. 1250 CE), indicating a shared Germanic legend cycle.

The Völsung Dynasty

The saga begins with Sigi, son of Odin, who kills a thrall in jealousy and is outlawed. His son Rerir avenges him and receives divine aid from Odin to conceive a son, Völsungr. Völsungr is born by caesarean section after his mother dies in prolonged labour; he grows to become a powerful king.

Völsungr marries Hljóð, daughter of the giant Hrimnir, and fathers ten sons and one daughter, Signý. The central hall is built around a great tree, Barnstokkr, into which Odin thrusts a sword (Gramr) that only Sigmundr can draw. Sigmundr marries Hjördís, but their union leads to conflict with King Siggeir of Gautland.
Sigmundr and Signý

Signý, Völsungr's daughter, is married to Siggeir against her will. Siggeir invites Völsungr and his sons to Gautland, then ambushes and kills them, except Sigmundr, who escapes with Signý's help. Signý lives in disguise with her brother in the forest, bearing him sons (Sinfjötli and others) to 'strengthen' the Völsung line.

Sigmundr and Sinfjötli wage war on Siggeir, burn his hall, and avenge Völsungr. Sigmundr later marries Hjördís; their son Sigurðr is born after Sigmundr's death in battle against King Hunding's sons.

Sigurðr and the Dragon

One of the door panels from Hylestad stave church, depicting Sigurd sucking his thumb after cooking the dragon's heart (Photo: Marieke Kuijjer CC BY-SA 2.0).

Sigurðr grows up under the smith Reginn, who forges Gramr (reforged from Odin's sword) and urges Sigurðr to kill Fáfnir, a dragon guarding treasure. Reginn's brother Fáfnir had slain their father Hreiðmarr for the cursed gold of Andvari.

Sigurðr slays Fáfnir at Gnitaheiði, bathes in the dragon's blood to gain invulnerability (except for a spot between his shoulders), and eats the heart, gaining wisdom. He kills Reginn when he learns of the betrayal plan. Sigurðr then awakens the valkyrie Sigrdrífa (Brynhildr) on Hindarfjall, receives wisdom from her, and pledges troth.

Brynhildr, Gudrún, and the Niflungs

Sigurðr arrives at the court of Gjúki, king of the Niflungs (Gjukungs). He drinks a potion of forgetfulness given by Grímhildr (Gudrún's mother) and marries Gudrún. He helps Gunnar win Brynhildr by riding through flames in Gunnar's form. Brynhildr, believing Sigurðr betrayed her, incites Gunnar and Högni to kill him.

Gunnar and Högni ambush Sigurðr in bed and stab him. Brynhildr dies of grief and isburned on Sigurðr's pyre. Gudrún later marries Atli (Attila the Hun), who kills her brothers for the treasure. Gudrún avenges them by killing Atli and their sons, then flees with her daughter Svanhildr.

Svanhildr and Jörmunrekr

Svanhildr marries Jörmunrekr (Ermanaric), king of the Goths. Bikki accuses her of adultery with Randvér, Jörmunrekr's son. Jörmunrekr has Randvér hanged and Svanhildr trampled by horses. Gudrún's sons Hamðir and Sörli avenge her by attacking Jörmunrekr, cutting off his hands and feet, but are stoned to death.

Historical Context and Reliability

The saga preserves legends from the Migration Period (c. 400–600 CE), with figures loosely linked to historical persons: Sigurðr to a dragon-slaying hero, Atli to Attila the Hun (d. 453 CE), Jörmunrekr to Ermanaric (d. 375 CE). The Nibelung treasure and Burgundian downfall echo events recorded by Roman historians (e.g. Jordanes, Priscus).

Sigurður retrieving his ancestral sword after Reginn reforged it into Gramrc (Illustration: Johannes Gehrts)

The Völsunga saga is legendary, not historical. It reflects Germanic heroic tradition shared with the Nibelungenlied, but with distinct Icelandic features (e.g. emphasis on fate, family tragedy). Scholars view it as a literary work preserving older oral poems, with the prose author shaping the material for coherence.

The Völsunga saga traces the Völsung dynasty from Odin's descendant Sigi through Völsungr, Sigmundr, Sigurðr, and the tragic aftermath involving Gudrún and her children. Composed in Iceland in the 13th century CE and preserved in a single manuscript, it combines heroic legend, dragon-slaying, and family vengeance. While not historical, the saga preserves Migration Period Germanic traditions, shared with continental sources like the Nibelungenlied. It stands as a central text in Norse literature, illustrating themes of fate, betrayal, and heroic tragedy in medieval Icelandic storytelling.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When was the Völsunga saga written?

The saga was composed in Iceland in the second half of the 13th century CE.

In which manuscript does it survive?

It survives only in NKS 1824 b 4to, a paper manuscript from around 1400 CE.

Who is the central hero of the saga?

Sigurðr, son of Sigmundr, who slays Fáfnir, awakens Brynhildr, and marries Gudrún.

How does the saga relate to the Poetic Edda?

It retells in prose the events of the Edda's heroic poems (e.g. Reginsmál, Fáfnismál, Sigrdrífumál).

Is the saga historical?

No; it is legendary, preserving Migration Period Germanic traditions rather than accurate history.

References

Völsunga saga. Edited by Guðni Jónsson. Hið íslenzka fornritafélag, 1954.

Byock, Jesse (trans.). The Saga of the Volsungs. Penguin Classics, 1990.

Finch, R.G. (ed. and trans.). The Saga of the Volsungs. Nelson, 1965.

Andersson, Theodore M. The Legend of Brynhild. Cornell University Press, 1980.

Larrington, Carolyne. The Poetic Edda. Oxford University Press, 2014.

Orchard, Andy. Cassell's Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassell, 1997.

Clover, Carol J., and John Lindow (eds.). Old Norse-Icelandic Literature: A Critical Guide. University of Toronto Press, 2005.