Vǫlsungakviða or Helgakviða Hundingsbana I ("The First Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane") is an Old Norse poem found in the Poetic Edda. It constitutes one of the Helgi lays, together with Helgakviða Hundingsbana II and Helgakviða Hjǫrvarðssonar.
The locations in the poem have been fervently debated with a Danish school maintaining Danish origins and locations and a Swedish one pointing out that locations (e.g. Brávellir and Brandey) and characters (Ylfingar, Hǫgni and Granmarr) place the events in Östergötland and Södermanland.[1] The poem is also ambiguous in attributing Helgi to the Ylfingr, Ynglingr and Vǫlsungr clans, which suggests a merging of originally unrelated traditions.
In the Edda, the poem is a sequel to Helgakviða Hjǫrvarðssonar whose heroes Helgi Hjǫrvarðsson and Sváfa are reborn as Helgi Hundingsbane and Sigrún. However, in Codex Regius, it is actually followed by Helgakviða Hjǫrvarðssonar.
The poem begins in a location called Brálund with the birth of Helgi Hundingbane, the son of Sigmundr and Borghildr. Norns arrived at the dwelling to shape his future as a hero.
1. Ár var alda, 2. Nótt varð í bæ, |
1. In olden days, 2. 'Twas night in the dwelling, |
When Helgi was but fifteen years old, he slew a man named Hundingr.[4] This caused Hundingr's sons Eyjólfr, Álfr, Hjǫrvarðr and Hávarðr to approach Helgi asking for wergild and the return of the booty Helgi had taken from their father. When Helgi refused them this, Hundingr's sons declared war and in the ensuing battle, Helgi killed all of Hundingr's sons.[5]
Helgi met the Valkyrie Sigrún who informed him that her father Hǫgni has betrothed her to Hǫðbroddr, the unworthy son of king Granmarr of the Hniflung clan. Helgi promised to take on Höðbroddr and to claim her as his own. Helgi then assembled a mighty host and departed to wage war on Hǫðbroddr's family.
When they had arrived at Granmarr's kingdom, the poem deals with a flyting between Helgi's half-brother Sinfjǫtli and Hǫðbroddr's brother Guðmundr. Then, the armies clashed at Frekastein and Helgi was victorious winning Sigrún as his bride.
Notes[]
- ↑ Nerman, B. Det svenska rikets uppkomst. Stockholm, 1925.
- ↑ Helgakviða Hundingsbana I, Guðni Jónsson's edition of the text with normalized spelling.
- ↑ The First Lay of Helgi Hundingsbane in translation by Henry Adams Bellows (1936), at Sacred Texts.
- ↑ There is no mention here of Hundingr's battles with Helgi's father Sigmundr.
- ↑ In the Vǫlsunga saga, Hundingr's sons kill Sigmundr and his father-in-law Eylimi, whereupon Sigurðr takes revenge.
External links[]
- Helgakvitha Hundingsbana I, Translation and commentary by Henry Adams Bellows
- The First Lay of Helgi Hundingcide, Translation by Benjamin Thorpe
- Helgakviða Hundingsbana hin fyrri, Sophus Bugge's edition of the manuscript text
- Helgakviða Hundingsbana I, Guðni Jónsson's edition of the text with normalized spelling
The Poetic Edda | |
---|---|
Mythological poems | Vǫluspá • Hávamál • Vafþrúðnismál • Grímnismál • Skírnismál • Hárbarðsljóð • Hymiskviða • Lokasenna • Þrymskviða • Vǫlundarkviða • Alvíssmál • Baldrs draumar • Rígsþula • Hyndluljóð (Vǫluspá in skamma) • Svipdagsmál (Grógaldr • Fjǫlsvinnsmál) • Gróttasǫngr • Hrafnagaldr Óðins |
Heroic lays | Helgakviða Hundingsbana I • Helgakviða Hjǫrvarðssonar • Helgakviða Hundingsbana II • Frá dauða Sinfjǫtla • Grípisspá • Reginsmál • Fáfnismál • Sigrdrífumál • Brot af Sigurðarkviðu • Guðrúnarkviða I • Sigurðarkviða hin skamma • Helreið Brynhildar • Dráp Niflunga • Guðrúnarkviða II • Guðrúnarkviða III • Oddrúnargrátr • Atlakviða hin Grǿnlenzka • Atlamál in grǿnlenzku • Guðrúnarhvǫt • Hamðismál • Hlǫðskviða • Hervararkviða |
Later poems | Sólarljóð |
Manuscripts | Codex Regius • AM 748 I 4to • AM 738 4to • Hauksbók • Flateyjarbók • Codex Wormianus |