Sigrdrífumál

The title Sigrdrífumál (Sd.) ‘The Sayings of Sigrdrífa’ is not found in R, but supplied editorially, following modern convention. The distinction between Fm. and Sd. is itself an editorial intervention, made on the basis of later, paper manuscripts. Some of these have a different title for Sd.: Brynhildarkviða Buðladóttur in fyrsta ‘The First Poem of Brynhildr, Buðli’s Daughter’.

The text of Sd. is incomplete in R (fol. 31v–32v), due to the loss of a gathering: it ends amid st. 29. Fortunately, paper manuscripts of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries preserve the rest of the poem, the full text having apparently been copied before the loss occurred. Additionally, the second half of st. 8 is supplied from VS 21. A version of Sd. was obviously a source for VS, as the same chapter also quotes stt. 5–13 and 15–21, albeit in a different order and with some significant variants, in its corresponding description of the meeting of Sigurðr and the valkyrie Brynhildr. Brynhildr is the saga’s name for the valkyrie called Sigrdrífa in the prose following st. 4 of Sd.¹ Hlr. may also identify the two figures. The basis of the equation is uncertain, however.

Sd. is another prosimetrum, possibly stitched together from different sources. Its verses, comprising the words exchanged by Sigurðr and Sigrdrífa, are mostly in the usual Eddic metre for wisdom dialogue, ljóðaháttr. There are, however, also instances of fornyrðislag and galdralag.

After some arresting opening stanzas, in which Sigrdrífa awakens from a magically induced sleep induced by Óðinn and addresses gods and goddesses, she identifies the different types of rune-magic that Sigurðr must know, albeit with few specifics about the actual runes. These details are possibly contained within the magical beer that she brings him, which represents another manifestation of the theme (also present in Vsp., Háv., Vm., Grm., Fm. and Hdl.) of the acquisition, retention or revelation of knowledge by imbibing liquid, and which presumably reflects the belief of a largely illiterate society that knowledge, principally released from the mouth as speech (enabled by saliva and sometimes projected with it), was acquired through the mouth in the form of a liquid. Sigrdrífa also describes the Óðinnic origin of certain runes in an otherwise unknown episode, and confers more general advice in a manner similar to Háv.

As John McKinnell has observed, structural and verbal correspondences to the second half of Háv. raise the possibility of influence by Háv., in which case Sd. may be a relatively late composition.² With this possible relationship may be compared the potential echo of Háv. 112 (et seq.) in Fm. 20, as well as the broad parallels between Fm. and both Vm. and Grm., the wisdom poems which follow Háv. in R.

Events described in Sd. are touched on in Grp., Fm. and Hlr. They are also treated in prose and verse in VS 21–22, and briefly in prose in SnESkáld (I, 41, p. 47) and chapter 6 of Norna-Gests þáttr.

Comparison may also be made with the Faroese ballad Brynhildar táttur ‘Brynhild’s Story’.

Synopsis

Further Reading

Haimerl, E., ‘Sigurðr, a Medieval Hero: A Manuscript-Based Interpretation of the “Young Sigurðr Poems”’, in P. Acker and C. Larrington, ed., Revisiting the Poetic Edda: Essays on Old Norse Heroic Legend (New York: Routledge, 2013), pp. 32–52, https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203098608-11  

Jón Helgason, Eddadigte (Copenhagen: Ejner Munksgaard, 1952–56).

Larrington, C., A Store of Common Sense: Gnomic Theme and Style in Old Icelandic and Old English Wisdom Poetry (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993).

Lassen, A., Odin’s Ways: A Guide to the Pagan God in Medieval Literature (New York: Routledge, 2022).

McKinnell, J., Meeting the Other in Norse Myth and Legend (Cambridge, UK: D. S. Brewer, 2005).

Price, N., The Viking Way: Magic and Mind in Late Iron Age Scandinavia (Oxford: Oxbow, 2019), https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvhhhgz3

Quinn, J., ‘Liquid Knowledge: Traditional Conceptualisations of Learning in Eddic Poetry’, in S. Rankovic, L. Melve and E. Mundal, ed., Along the Oral-Written Continuum: Types of Texts, Relations and Their Implications (Turnhout: Brepols, 2010), pp. 175–217, https://doi.org/10.1484/m.usml-eb.3.4283

Von See, K., B. La Farge, W. Gerhold, E. Picard and K. Schulz, Kommentar zu den Liedern der Edda, Bd. 5: Heldenlieder (Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag Winter, 2006).

Zotto, C. del, Edda poetica. Il Carme di Sigrdrifa (Milan: Milano Libri Scheiwiller, 2003).

Sigrdrífumál

1. ‘Hvat beit brynju?   Hví brá ek svefni?

Hverr feldi af mér   fǫlvar nauðir?’

Hann svaraði:

‘Sigmundar burr —   sleit fyr skǫmmu

hrafns hrælundir   hjǫrr Sigurðar.’

2. ‘Lengi ek svaf,   lengi ek sofnuð var,

lǫng eru lýða læ;

Óðinn því veldr,   er ek eigi máttak

bregða blunnstǫfum.’

Sigurðr settisk niðr ok spyrr hana nafns. Hon tók þá horn fullt mjaðar ok gaf honum minnisveig.

3. ‘Heill, Dagr!   Heilir, Dags synir!

Heil, Nótt ok nipt!

Óreiðum augum   lítið okkr þinig,

ok gefið sitjǫndum sigr!

4. ‘Heilir, Æsir!   Heilar, Ásynjur!

Heil, sjá in fjǫlnýta fold!

Mál ok manvit   gefið okkr mærum tveim,

ok læknishendr meðan lifum!’

Hon nefndisk Sigrdrífa, ok var valkyrja. Hon sagði at tveir konungar bǫrðusk. Hét annarr Hjálm-Gunnarr. Hann var þá gamall ok inn mesti hermaðr, ok hafði Óðinn honum sigri heitit. En annarr hét Agnarr, Hauðu bróðir, er vætr engi vildi þiggja. Sigrdrífa feldi Hjálm-Gunnar í orrostunni. En Óðinn stakk hana svefnþorni í hefnd þess ok kvað hana aldri skyldu síðan sigr vega í orrostu ok kvað hana giptask skyldu. ‘En ek sagðak honum at ek strengðak heit þar í mót, at giptask øngum þeim manni er hræðask kynni.’

Hann segir ok biðr hana kenna sér speki, ef hon vissi tíðindi ór ǫllum heimum.

Sigrdrífa kvað:

5. ‘Bjór fœri ek þér,   brynþings apaldr,

magni blandinn   ok megintíri;

fullr er hann ljóða   ok líknstafa,

góðra galdra   ok gamanrúna!

6. ‘Sigrúnar þú skalt rísta   ef þú vilt sigr hafa,

ok rísta á hjalti hjǫrs,

sumar á véttrimum,   sumar á valbǫstum,

ok nefna tysvar Tý.

7. ‘Ǫlrúnar skaltu kunna   ef þú vill annars kvæn

vélit þik í tryggð,   ef þú trúir;

á horni skal þær rísta   ok á handar baki

ok merkja á nagli Nauð.

8. ‘Full skal signa   ok við fári sjá,

ok verpa lauki í lǫg:

þá ek þat veit,   at þér verðr aldri

meinblandinn mjǫðr.

9. ‘Bjargrúnar skaltu kunna   ef þú bjarga vilt

ok leysa kind frá konum;

á lófa þær skal rísta   ok of liðu spenna,

ok biðja þá dísir duga.

10. ‘Brimrúnar skaltu rísta   ef þú vilt borgit hafa

á sundi seglmǫrom;

á stafni skal rísta   ok á stjórnar blaði

ok leggja eld í ár;

era svá brattr breki,   né svá blár unnir,

þó kømztu heill af hafi.

11. ‘Limrúnar skaltu kunna   ef þú vilt læknir vera

ok kunna sár at sjá;

á berki skal þær rísta   ok á baðmi viðar,

þeim er lúta austr limar.

12. ‘Málrúnar skaltu kunna   ef þú vilt at mangi þér

heiptum gjaldi harm;

þær um vindr,   þær um vefr,

þær um setr allar saman,

á því þingi,   er þjóðir skulu

í fulla dóma fara.

13. ‘Hugrúnar skaltu kunna   ef þú vilt hverjum vera

geðsvinnari guma;

þær of réð,   þær of reist,

þær um hugði Hroptr,

af þeim legi   er lekit hafði

ór hausi Heiðdraupnis

ok ór horni Hoddrofnis.

14. ‘Á bjargi stóð   með Brimis eggjar,

hafði sér á hǫfði hjálm;

þá mælti Míms hǫfuð

fróðlikt it fyrsta orð

ok sagði sanna stafi.

15. ‘Á skildi, kvað, ristnar,   þeim er stendr fyr skínanda goði,

á eyra Árvakrs   ok á Alsvinns hófi,

á því hvéli   er snýsk undir reið Rungnis,

á Sleipnis tǫnnum   ok á sleða fjǫtrum,

16. ‘á bjarnar hrammi   ok á Braga tungu,

á úlfs klóm   ok á arnar nefi,

á blóðgum vængjum   ok á brúar sporði,

á lausnar lófa   ok á líknar spori,

17. ‘á gleri ok á gulli   ok á gumna heillum,

í víni ok virtri   ok vilisessi,

á Gungnis oddi   ok á Grana brjósti,

á Nornar nagli   ok á nefi uglu.

18. ‘Allar váru af skafnar,   þær er váru á ristnar,

ok hverfðar við inn helga mjǫð,

ok sendar á víða vega;

þær ru með Ásum,   þær ru með álfum,

sumar með vísum Vǫnum,

sumar hafa mennskir menn.

19. ‘Þat eru bókrúnar,   þat eru bjargrúnar,

ok allar ǫlrúnar,

ok mætar meginrúnar,

hveim er þær kná óviltar   ok óspilltar

sér at heillum hafa;

njóttu, ef þú namt,

unz rjúfask regin!

20. ‘Nú skaltu kjósa,   allz þér er kostr um boðinn,

hvassa vápna hlynr:

sǫgn eða þǫgn —   hafðu þér sjálfr í hug!

Ǫll eru mein of metin.’

21. ‘Munka ek flœja,   þótt mik feigan vitir,

emka ek með bleyði borinn;

ástráð þín   ek vil ǫll hafa,

svá lengi sem ek lifi!’

22. ‘Þat ræð ek þér it fyrsta,   at þú við frœndr þína

vammalaust verir;

síðr þú hefnir,   þótt þeir sakar gøri —

þat, kveða, dauðum duga.

23. ‘Þat ræð ek þér annat,   at þú eið né sverir,

nema þann er saðr sé;

grimmir símar   ganga at tryggðrofi;

armr er vára vargr!

24. ‘Þat ræð ek þér þriðja,   at þú þingi á

deilit við heimska hali;

þvíat ósviðr maðr   lætr opt kveðin

verri orð en viti.

25. ‘Allt er vant   ef þú við þegir —

þá þikkir þú með bleyði borinn

eða sǫnnu sagðr;

hættr er heimiskviðr,

nema sér góðan geti;

annars dags   láttu hans ǫndu farit,

ok launa svá lýðum lygi!

26. ‘Þat ræð ek þér it fjórða   ef býr fordæða,

vammafull, á vegi:

ganga er betra   en gista sé,

þótt þik nótt um nemi.

27. ‘Fornjósnar augu   þurfu fira synir,

hvars skulu vreiðir vega;

opt bǫlvísar konur   sitja brautu nær,

þær er deyfa sverð ok sefa.

28. ‘Þat ræð ek þér it fimmta,   þóttu fagrar sér

brúðir bekkjum á:

sifja silfr   látaðu þínum svefni ráða;

teygjattu þér at kossi konur!

29. ‘Þat ræð ek þér it sétta,   þótt með seggjum fari

ǫlðrmál til ǫfug:

drukkinn deila   skalattu við dólgviðu —

margan stelr vín viti.

30. ‘Sǫngr ok ǫl   hefr seggjum verit

mǫrgum at móðtrega:

sumum at bana,   sumum at bǫlstǫfum;

fjǫlð er þat er tregr fira.

31. ‘Þat ræð ek þér it sjaunda   ef þú sakar deilir

við hugfulla hali:

berjask er betra   en brenna sé

inni auðstǫfum.

32. ‘Þat ræð ek þér it átta,   at þú skalt við illu sjá

ok firrask flærðarstafi;

mey þú teygjat   né manns konu,

né eggja ofgamans!

33. ‘Þat ræð ek þér it níunda,   at þú nám bjargir,

hvars þú á foldum finnr,

hvárts eru sóttdauðir   eða eru sædauðir

eða eru vápndauðir verar.

34. ‘Laug skal gøra   þeim er liðnir eru,

þvá hendr ok hǫfuð,

kemba ok þerra,   áðr í kistu fari,

ok biðja sælan sofa.

35. ‘Þat ræð ek þér it tíunda,   at þú trúir aldri

várum vargdropa,

hvártstu ert bróður bani

eða hafir þú feldan fǫður:

úlfr er í ungum syni,

þótt sé hann gulli gladdr.

36. ‘Sakar ok heiptir,   hyggjat svefngar vera,

né harm in heldr;

vits ok vápna   vant er jǫfri at fá,

þeim er skal fremstr með firum.

37. ‘Þat ræð ek þér it ellipta,   at þú við illu sér

hvern veg at vegi;

langt líf   þikkjumsk ek lofðungs vita,

rǫmm eru róg of risin!’

The Sayings of Sigrdrífa

Sigurðr rode up to Hindarfjall3 and headed south to Frakkland.4 On the fell he saw a great light, as if a fire were burning, and it shone up to the sky. But when he came there, then a shield-stronghold⁵ stood there and above it a standard. Sigurðr went into the shield-stronghold and saw that a man lay there and was sleeping with all war-weapons. First he took the helm from his6 head. Then he saw that it was a woman. The mail-coat was stuck fast, as if it were flesh-grown. Then he cut through with Gramr7 from the head-opening of the mail-coat downwards, and so out through both sleeves. Then he took the mail-coat off her; and she awoke, and she sat herself up and saw Sigurðr and said:

1. ‘What bit the mail-coat? Why have I shaken off sleep?

Who caused the pale constraints⁸ to fall from me?’

He answered:⁹

‘Sigmundr’s son — a short time ago

Sigurðr’s sword slit a raven’s corpse-morsels.’10

2. ‘Long I slept, long was I asleep,

long are the misfortunes of men;

Óðinn caused this, that I couldn’t

shake off sleep-staves.’11

Sigurðr sat himself down and asked her name. She then took a horn full of mead and gave him a memory-drink.12

3.¹³ ‘Hail, Dagr!14 Hail, Dagr’s sons!15

Hail, Nótt16 and her kinswoman!¹⁷

Look upon us both here with unwrathful eyes,

and give victory to those sitting [here]!

4. ‘Hail, Æsir!18 Hail, Ásynjur!19

Hail, the multiply-helpful earth!

Give eloquence and commonsense to us two glorious ones,

and healing hands as long as we live!’

She named herself Sigrdrífa,20 and she was a valkyrie. She said that two kings had fought each other. One was called Hjálm-Gunnarr.21 He was by then old and the greatest warrior, and Óðinn had promised him victory. And the other was called Agnarr, Hauða’s22 brother, whom no one wanted to receive.²³ Sigrdrífa felled Hjálm-Gunnarr in the battle. But Óðinn pierced her with a sleep-thorn in revenge for this and told her that she would never win victory in battle thereafter and said that she would marry. ‘But I said to him that I had sworn an oath to the contrary, to marry no man who could be afraid.’24

He²⁵ speaks and asks her to teach him wisdom, if she knew tidings from all worlds.

Sigrdrífa said:

5.²⁶ ‘I bring you beer, apple-tree of the mail-coat-assembly,²⁷

mixed with might and great glory;

it’s full of spells and helpful staves,²⁸

good incantations and pleasure-runes!²⁹

6.³⁰ ‘Victory-runes you must inscribe³¹ if you want to have victory,

and inscribe them on a sword’s hilt,

some on the battle-boards(?), some on the slaughter-cords(?),³²

and name Týr33 twice.

7.³⁴ ‘Ale-runes³⁵ you must know if you desire that another’s wife

shouldn’t betray you, if you trust [her];

on a horn one must carve them and on the back of the hand

and mark Nauðr36 on the nail.

8.³⁷ ‘A full goblet one must sign³⁸ and guard against mischief,

and throw leek³⁹ into the liquid:

then I know it, that never for you

will mead be mixed with harm.

9.⁴⁰ ‘Protection-runes you must know if you want to protect

and loosen children from women;⁴¹

on the palms one must carve them⁴² and clasp them around the limbs,⁴³

and then ask the dísir⁴⁴ to do good.⁴⁵

10.⁴⁶ ‘Surf-runes you must carve if you want to have protected

sail-steeds⁴⁷ at sea;

on the stem one must carve them and on the rudder’s blade,

and burn them into the oar;⁴⁸

the breaker isn’t so high, nor the waves so dark-blue,⁴⁹

that you won’t come safe from the sea.

11.⁵⁰ ‘Limb⁵¹-runes you must know if you want to be a healer

and to know how to look at wounds;

on bark one must cut them and on a tree of the wood,

one whose limbs incline eastward.

12.⁵² ‘Speech-runes you must know if you desire that no one

should repay you for a harm with hateful deeds;

one winds them, one weaves them,

one sets them all together,

at the assembly, when people must proceed

into full courts of justice.

13.⁵³ ‘Mind-runes you must know if you want to be

of wiser mind than any [other] man;

he⁵⁴ read them, he carved them,

Hroptr55 thought them up,

from the liquid which had leaked

from Heiðdraupnir’s skull56

and from Hoddrofnir’s horn.57

14. ‘On a cliff he⁵⁸ stood with Brimir’s edges,59

he had a helmet on his head;

then Mímr’s head60 spoke

wisely the first word

and said true staves.⁶¹

15.⁶² ‘On a shield, he⁶³ said, [runes were] carved,⁶⁴ the one which stands

before the shining god,⁶⁵

on Árvakr’s ear and on Alsvinnr’s hoof,66

on the wheel which turns under Rungnir’s chariot,67

on Sleipnir’s teeth68 and on a sledge’s fetters,⁶⁹

16.⁷⁰ ‘on a bear’s paw and on Bragi’s tongue,71

on a wolf’s claws and on an eagle’s beak,

on bloody wings⁷² and on a bridge’s fish-tail,⁷³

on a midwife’s palm⁷⁴ and on a helper’s footprint,⁷⁵

17.⁷⁶ ‘on glass and on gold and on men’s amulets,

in wine and wort⁷⁷ and a favoured seat,

on Gungnir’s point78 and on Grani’s breast,79

on a Norn’s nail and on an owl’s nose.80

18.⁸¹ ‘All were scraped off, those which were carved on,

and mixed with the holy mead,

and sent on wide ways;

they are with Æsir, they are with elves,

some with wise Vanir,

19.⁸² ‘Those are book-runes,⁸³ those are protection-runes,

and all ale-runes,

and worthy might-runes,

for anyone who can have them, unconfused and unspoilt,

for himself as amulets;

use [them], if you learn them [them],

until the powers are ripped apart!⁸⁴

20.⁸⁵ ‘Now you must choose, since a choice is offered to you,

maple of sharp weapons:⁸⁶

speech or silence — keep it in mind yourself!⁸⁷

All misfortunes are measured.’⁸⁸

21.⁸⁹ ‘I won’t flee, even if you know me to be doomed,

I wasn’t born with cowardice;

I want to have all your loving counsel,

as long as I live!’

22.⁹⁰ ‘I advise you this as the first thing, that you be

faultless toward your kin;

[that you] avenge less,⁹¹ even if they give cause —

that, they say, does good for the dead.⁹²

23. ‘I advise you this second, that you don’t swear an oath,

unless it’s a true one;

grim bonds follow upon a breach of troth;

wretched is the wolf⁹³ of vows!⁹⁴

24. ‘I advise you this third, that you don’t dispute

with stupid men at an assembly;

because an unwise man often lets slip

a word that’s worse than he knows.⁹⁵

25. ‘All is wanting if you’re silent in response⁹⁶ —

then you seem [to have been] born with cowardice,

or [to be] accused in truth;

home-repute⁹⁷ is risky,

unless one gets oneself a good one;

have his breath destroyed another day,⁹⁸

and so repay his lying to people!

26. ‘I advise you this as the fourth thing if a witch dwells,⁹⁹

full of vices, on your way:

it’s better to walk on than be her guest,

even if night should overtake you.

27. ‘The sons of men need scouting eyes,

wherever wrathful ones shall fight;¹⁰⁰

often women wise in evil¹⁰¹ sit near the way,

they who blunt sword and spirit.¹⁰²

28. ‘I advise you this as the fifth thing, even though you see

fair brides¹⁰³ on the benches:

don’t let [their] relatives’ silver¹⁰⁴ rule your sleep;¹⁰⁵

don’t lure women to you for kissing!

29. ‘I advise you this as the sixth thing, even if ale-talk

turns too hostile among men:

when drunk, you mustn’t dispute with a battle-tree¹⁰⁶ —

wine steals the wits from many.

30. ‘Song and ale have for many men

been a source of mood-sorrow:

for some through death, for some through evil-staves;¹⁰⁷

many’s the thing that grieves men.

31. ‘I advise you this as the seventh thing if you dispute cases¹⁰⁸

against courageous men:

for treasure-staves,¹⁰⁹ it’s better to fight

than to be burned inside.¹¹⁰

32. ‘I advise you this as the eighth thing, that you must guard against evil

and distance yourself from deceit-staves;¹¹¹

don’t seduce a maiden or a man’s wife,

or incite them to excessive pleasure!¹¹²

33. ‘I advise you this as the ninth thing, that you protect corpses,¹¹³

wherever you encounter them on earth,

whether they are sickness-dead or are sea-dead

or are weapon-dead men.

34. ‘One must prepare a bath for those who have passed away,

wash their hands and head,

comb and dry them, before they go in the coffin,

and pray that they sleep blessedly.

35. ‘I advise you this as the tenth thing, that you never trust

the vows of an outlaw’s¹¹⁴ offspring,

whether you’re his brother’s slayer

or you have felled his father:

there’s a wolf in a young son,

even if he’s gladdened with gold.

36. ‘Lawsuits and hatreds, don’t think that they’re sleepy,¹¹⁵

nor sorrow¹¹⁶ any the more;

there’s a need for a boar¹¹⁷ to obtain wit and weapons,

for the one who shall be foremost among men.

37. ‘I advise you this as the eleventh thing, that you guard against evil

in every way along the way;¹¹⁸

I believe I know the praiseworthy one’s life will be long;¹¹⁹

strong are the strifes that have arisen!’

Textual Apparatus to Sigrdrífumál