Hervǫr (daughter of Heiðrekr)

Hervǫr Heiðreksdóttir is one of the two main heroines in the Tyrfingr Cycle, presented in Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks with parts found in the Poetic Edda. Born as a daughter of the King Heiðrekr, she was a shield-maiden and the commander of a Gothic fort facing Myrkviðr during the Battle of the Goths and Huns. She would would fall in battle against the Huns (see Hlǫðr, Hlǫðskviða). When her foster father Ormarr reported Hervǫr's death to king Angantýr, he said:

Sunnan em ek kominn

at segja spjǫll þessi:

sviðin er ǫll mǫrk

ok Myrkviðar heiðr,

drifin ǫll Goðþjóð

gumna blóði.

Mey veit ek Heiðreks,

systur þína,

svigna til jarðar;

hafa Húnar

hana fellda

ok marga aðra

yðra þegna,

léttari gerðist hún at bǫð

en við biðil ræða'

eða í bekk at fara

at brúðar gangi.

"From the south I've come

to say this news:

burnt is Mirkwood Heath

and the whole forest,

Goth-folk all blotched

with blood of men.

Down, I hear,

is Heidrek's lass;

heard your sister,

the Huns felled her —

and of your people

plenty more.

More cheery in battle

than chatting to suitors

or taking the bench

at a bridal feast."

When King Angantýr heard this, he grinned and was slow to speak, but at last he said:

Óbróðurliga vartu leikin, in ágæta systir.

"Unbrotherly the bloody game they played with you, excellent sister."

Videos[]

The Saga of Hervor and Heidrek

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