The Story of Siegfried Part 27

[EN#15]--The Valkyries.

See Grimm's Teutonic Mythology, p. 417, and Anderson's Norse Mythology, p. 265.

[EN#16]--Brunhild.

In the Elder Edda, Brunhild's inaccessible hall stands on a mountain, where she was doomed to sleep under her s.h.i.+eld until Sigurd should release her. In the Nibelungen Lied, she is represented as ruling in Isenland, an island far over the sea. The well-known story of the Sleeping Beauty is derived from this myth.

[EN#17]--Nibelungen Land.

"Vain were it to inquire where that Nibelungen Land specially is.

Its very name is Nebel-land, or Nifl-land, the land of Darkness, of Invisibility.... Far beyond the firm horizon, that wonder-bearing region swims on the infinite waters, unseen by bodily eye, or, at most, discerned as a faint streak hanging in the blue depths, uncertain whether island or cloud."--Carlyle, on The Nibelungen Lied.

[EN#18]--Schilbung and Nibelung.

"Old King Nibelung, the former lord of the land, had left, when he died, a mighty h.o.a.rd concealed within a mountain-cavern. As Siegfried rode past the mountain-side alone, he found Schilbung and Nibelung, the king's sons, seated at the mouth of the cavern surrounded by more gold and precious stones than a hundred wagons could bear away. Espying Siegfried, they called upon him to settle their dispute, offering him as reward their father's mighty sword Balmung."--Auber Forestier's Translation of the Nibelungen Lied.

We have here made some slight variations from the original versions.

(See also EN#12.)

An ancient legend relates how King Schilbung had obtained the h.o.a.rd in the upper Rhine valley, and how he was afterwards slain by his brother Niblung. This Niblung possessed a magic ring in the shape of a coiled serpent with ruby eyes. It had been presented to him by a prince named Gunthwurm, who had come to him in the guise of a serpent, desiring the hand of his daughter in marriage. This ring, according to the Eddas, was the one taken by Loki from the dwarf Andvari, and was given by Sigurd (Siegfried) to Brunhild in token of betrothal. It was the cause of all the disasters that afterwards occurred.--See W. Jordan's Sigfridssaga.

See also EN#10.

[EN#19]

"... Siegfried the hero good Failed the long task to finish: this stirred their angry mood.

The treasure undivided he needs must let remain, When the two kings indignant set on him with their train; But Siegfried gripped sharp Balmung (so hight their father's sword), And took from them their country, and the beaming, precious h.o.a.rd."

The Nibelungenlied, Lettsom, 96, 97

[EN#20]--Siegfried's Welcome Home.

In the Nibelungen Lied this is our first introduction to the hero. The "High-tide" held in honor of Siegfried's coming to manhood, and which we suppose to have occurred at this time, forms the subject of the Second Adventure in that poem.

[EN#21]--Kriemhild's Dream.

This forms the subject of the first chapter of the Nibelungen Lied. "The eagles of Kriemhild's dream," says Auber Forestier, "are winter-giants, whose wont it was to transform themselves into eagles; while the pure G.o.ds were in the habit of a.s.suming the falcon's form."

[EN#22]--Idun.

The story of Idun and her Apples is related in the Younger Edda. It is there represented as having been told by Bragi himself to his friend AEgir. This myth means, that the ever-renovating spring (Idun) being taken captive by the desolating winter (Thja.s.se), all Nature (all the Asa-folk) languishes until she regains her freedom through the intervention of the summer's heat (Loki). --See Anderson's Norse Mythology.

[EN#23]--Balder.

The story of Balder is, in reality, the most ancient form of the Siegfried myth. Both Balder and Siegfried are impersonations of the beneficent light of the summer's sun, and both are represented as being treacherously slain by the powers of winter. The errand of Hermod to the Halls of Death (Hela) reminds us of the errand of Hermes to Hades to bring back Persephone to her mother Demetre. We perceive also a resemblance in this story to the myth of Orpheus, in which that hero is described as descending into the lower regions to bring away his wife Eurydice.

[EN#24]

The making of rich clothing for the heroes is frequently referred to in the Nibelungen Lied. Carlyle says, "This is a never-failing preparative for all expeditions, and is always specified and insisted on with a simple, loving, almost female impressiveness."

[EN#25]--The Winning of Brunhild.

The story of the outwitting of Brunhild, as related in the pages which follow, is essentially the same as that given in the Nibelungen Lied. It is quite different from the older versions.

[EN#26]--Sif.

Sif corresponds to the Ceres of the Southern mythology. (See Grimm, p.

309.) The story of Loki and the Dwarfs is derived from the Younger Edda.

It has been beautifully rendered by the German poet Oelenschlager, a translation of whose poem on this subject may be found in Longfellow's Poets and Poetry of Europe.

[EN#27]--Eigill.

Eigill is the original William Tell. The story is related in the Saga of Thidrik. For a full history of the Tell myth, see Grimm's Teutonic Mythology, p. 380, and Baring-Gould's Curious Myths of the Middle Ages, p. 110.

[EN#28]--Welland the Smith.

The name of this smith is variously given as Weland, Wieland, Welland, Volundr, Velint etc. The story is found in the Vilkina Saga, and was one of the most popular of middle age myths. (See Grimm's Mythology.) Sir Walter Scott, in his novel of Kenilworth, has made use of this legend in introducing the episode of Wayland Smith.

[EN#29]--Vidar[FN#1] the Silent.

"Vidar is the name of the silent Asa. He has a very thick shoe, and he is the strongest next to Thor. From him the G.o.ds have much help in all hard tasks."--The Younger Edda (Anderson's translation).

[FN#1] The word Vidar means forest.