Fáfnismál

Old Norse

Normalized Old Norse · Guðni Jónsson edition · Source ↗

Sigurðr ok Reginn fóru upp á Gnitaheiði ok hittu þar slóð Fáfnis, þá er hann skreið til vatns. Þar gerði Sigurðr gröf mikla á veginum, ok gekk Sigurðr þar í. En er Fáfnir skreið af gullinu, blés hann eitri, ok hraut þat fyrir ofan höfuð Sigurði. En er Fáfnir skreið yfir gröfina, þá lagði Sigurðr hann með sverði til hjarta. Fáfnir hristi sik ok barði höfði ok sporði. Sigurðr hljóp ór gröfinni, ok sá þá hvárr annan. Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 1"Sveinn ok sveinn, hverjum ertu svein of borinn? Hverra ertu manna mögr, er þú á Fáfni rautt þinn inn frána mæki? Stöndumk til hjarta hjörr." Sigurðr dulði nafn síns, fyrir því at þat var trúa þeira í forneskju, at orð feigs manns mætti mikit, ef hann bölvaði óvin sínum með nafni. Hann kvað:

Stanza 2"Göfugt dýr ek heiti, en ek gengit hefk inn móðurlausi mögr, föður ek ákk-a sem fira synir; æ geng ek einn saman."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 3"Veiztu, ef föður né átt-at sem fira synir, af hverju vastu undri alinn?"

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 4"Ætterni mitt kveð ek þér ókunnigt vera ok mik sjalfan it sama; Sigurðr ek heiti, Sigmundr hét minn faðir, er hefk þik vápnum vegit."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 5"Hverr þik hvatti? Hví hvetjask lézt mínu fjörvi at fara? Inn fráneygi sveinn, þú áttir föður bitran; óbornum skjór á skeið."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 6"Hugr mik hvatti, hendr mér fulltýðu ok minn inn hvassi hjörr; fár er hvatr, er hröðask tekr, ef í barnæsku er blauðr."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 7"Veit ek, ef þú vaxa næðir fyr þinna vina brjósti, sæi maðr þik vreiðan vega; nú ertu haftr ok hernuminn; æ kveða bandingja bifask."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 8"Því bregðr þú mér, Fáfnir, at til fjarri séak mínum feðrmunum; eigi em ek haftr, þótt ek væra hernumi; þú fannt, at ek laus lifi."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 9"Heiftyrði ein telr þú þér í hvívetna, en ek þér satt eitt segik: It gjalla gull ok it glóðrauða fé, þér verða þeir baugar at bana."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 10"Féi ráða vill fyrða hverr æ til ins eina dags; því at einu sinni skal alda hverr fara til heljar heðan."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 11"Norna dóm þú munt fyr nesjum hafa ok ósvinns apa; í vatni þú drukknar, ef í vindi rær; allt er feigs forað."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 12"Segðu mér, Fáfnir, alls þik fróðan kveða ok vel margt vita, hverjar ro þær nornir, er nauðgönglar ro ok kjósa mæðr frá mögum."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 13"Sundrbornar mjök segi ek nornir vera, eigu-t þær ætt saman; sumar eru áskunngar, sumar alfkunngar, sumar dætr Dvalins."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 14"Segðu mér þat, Fáfnir, alls þik fróðan kveða ok vel margt vita, hvé sá holmr heitir, er blanda hjörlegi Surtr ok æsir saman."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 15"Óskópnir hann heitir, en þar öll skulu geirum leika goð; Bilröst brotnar, er þeir á brú fara, ok svima í móðu marir."

Stanza 16Ægishjalm bar ek of alda sonum, meðan ek of menjum lák; einn rammari hugðumk öllum vera, fannk-a ek svá marga mögu."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 17"Ægishjalmr bergr einungi, hvar skulu vreiðir vega; þá þat finnr, er með fleirum kemr, at engi er einna hvatastr."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 18"Eitri ek fnæsta, er ek á arfi lá miklum míns föður."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 19"Inn fráni ormr, þú gerðir fræs mikla ok galzt harðan hug; heift at meiri verðr hölða sonum, at þann hjalm hafi."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 20"Ræð ek þér nú, Sigurðr, en þú ráð nemir, ok ríð heim heðan; it gjalla gull ok it glóðrauða fé, þér verða þeir baugar at bana."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 21"Ráð er þér ráðit, en ek ríða mun til þess gulls, er í lyngvi liggr, en þú, Fáfnir, ligg í fjörbrotum, þar er þik hel hafi."

Fáfnir kvað:

Stanza 22"Reginn mik réð, hann þik ráða mun, hann mun okkr verða báðum at bana; fjör sitt láta, hygg ek, at Fáfnir myni; þitt varð nú meira megin."

Reginn var á brott horfinn, meðan Sigurðr vá Fáfni, ok kom þá aftr, er Sigurðr strauk blóð af sverðinu. Reginn kvað:

Stanza 23"Heill þú nú, Sigurðr, nú hefir þú sigr vegit ok Fáfni of farit; manna þeira, er mold troða, þik kveð ek óblauðastan alinn."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 24"Þat er óvíst at vita, þá er komum allir saman, sigtíva synir, hverr óblauðastr er alinn; margr er sá hvatr, er hjör né rýðr annars brjóstum í."

Reginn kvað:

Stanza 25"Glaðr ertu nú, Sigurðr, ok gagni feginn, er þú þerrir Gram á grasi; bróður minn hefr þú benjaðan, ok vald ek þó sjalfr sumu."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 26"Þú því rétt, er ek ríða skyldak hélug fjöll hinig; féi ok fjörvi réði sá inn fráni ormr, nema þú frýðir mér hvats hugar."

Þá gekk Reginn at Fáfni ok skar hjarta ór hánum með sverði, er Riðill heitir, ok þá drakk hann blóð ór undinni eftir. Reginn kvað:

Stanza 27"Sittu nú, Sigurðr, en ek mun sofa ganga, ok halt Fáfnis hjarta við funa; eisköld ek vil etin láta eftir þenna dreyra drykk."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 28"Fjarri þú gekkt, meðan ek á Fáfni rauðk minn inn hvassa hjör; afli mínu atta ek við orms megin, meðan þú í lyngvi látt."

Reginn kvað:

Stanza 29"Lengi liggja létir þú lyngvi í þann inn aldna jötun, ef þú sverðs né nytir, þess er ek sjalfr gerða, ok þíns ins hvassa hjörs."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 30"Hugr er betri en sé hjörs megin, hvars vreiðir skulu vega, því at hvatan mann ek sé harðliga vega með slævu sverði sigr."

Stanza 31"Hvötum er betra en sé óhvötum í hildileik hafask; glöðum er betra en sé glúpnanda, hvat sem at hendi kemr."

Sigurðr tók Fáfnis hjarta ok steikði á teini. Er hann hugði, at fullsteikt væri ok freyddi sveitinn ór hjartanu, þá tók hann á fingri sínum ok skynjaði, hvárt fullsteikt væri. Hann brann ok brá fingrinum í munn sér. En er hjartablóð Fáfnis kom á tungu hánum, ok skilði hann fugls rödd. Hann heyrði, at igður klökuðu á hrísinu. Igðan kvað:

Stanza 32"Þar sitr Sigurðr sveita stokkinn, Fáfnis hjarta við funa steikir; spakr þætti mér spillir bauga, ef hann fjörsega fránan æti."

Önnur kvað:

Stanza 33"Þar liggr Reginn, ræðr um við sik, vill tæla mög, þann er trúir hánum, berr af reiði röng orð saman, vill bölvasmiðr bróður hefna."

In þriðja kvað:

Stanza 34"Höfði skemmra láti hann inn hára þul fara til heljar heðan; öllu gulli þá kná hann einn ráða, fjölð því er und Fáfni lá."

In fjórða kvað:

Stanza 35Horskr þætti mér, ef hafa kynni ástráð mikit yðvar systra, hygði hann of sik ok hugin gleddi; þar er mér ulfs ván, er ek eyru sék."

In fimmta kvað:

Stanza 36"Er-at svá horskr hildimeiðr sem ek hers jaðar hyggja myndak, ef hann bróður lætr á brot komask, en hann öðrum hefir aldrs of synjat."

In sétta kvað:

Stanza 37"Mjök er ósviðr, ef hann enn sparir fjánda inn folkskáa, þar er Reginn liggr, er hann ráðinn hefr, kann-at hann við slíku at séa."

In sjaunda kvað:

Stanza 38"Höfði skemmra láti hann þann inn hrímkalda jötun ok af baugum búa; þá mun hann fjár þess, er Fáfnir réð, einvaldi vera."

Sigurðr kvað:

Stanza 39"Verða-t svá rík sköp, at Reginn skyli mitt banorð bera; því at þeir báðir bræðr skulu bráðliga fara til heljar heðan." Sigurðr hjó höfuð af Regin, ok þá át han Fáfnis hjarta ok drakk blóð þeira beggja, Regins ok Fáfnis. Þá heyrði Sigurðr, hvar igður mæltu:

Stanza 40"Bitt þú, Sigurðr, bauga rauða; er-a konungligt kvíða mörgu. Mey veit ek eina miklu fegrsta, gulli gædda, ef þú geta mættir."

Stanza 41"Liggja til Gjúka grænar brautir, fram vísa sköp folklíðöndum; þar hefir dýrr konungr dóttur alna; þá muntu, Sigurðr, mundi kaupa."

Stanza 42"Salr er á háu Hindarfjalli, allr er hann útan eldi sveipinn, þann hafa horskir halir of görvan ór ódökkum Ógnar ljóma."

Stanza 43"Veit ek á fjalli folkvitr sofa ok leikr yfir lindar váði; Yggr stakk þorni, aðra felldi hör-Gefn hali en hafa vildi."

Stanza 44"Knáttu, mögr, séa mey und hjalmi, þá er frá vígi Vingskorni reið; má-at Sigrdrífar svefni bregða skjöldunga niðr fyr sköpum norna."

Sigurðr reið eftir slóð Fáfnis til bælis hans ok fann þat opit ok hurðir af járni ok gætti. Af járni váru ok allir timbrstokkar í húsinu, en grafit í jörð niðr. Þar fann Sigurðr stórmikit gull ok fylldi þar tvær kistur. Þar tók hann ægishjálm ok gullbrynju ok sverðit Hrotta ok marga dýrgripi ok klyfjaði þar með Grana, en hestrinn vildi eigi fram ganga, fyrr en Sigurðr steig á bak hánum.

English translation

Henry Adams Bellows · First published 1923 · Source & commentary ↗

Sigurth and Regin went up to the Gnitaheith, and found there the track that Fafnir made when he crawled to water. Then Sigurth made a great trench across the path, and took his place therein. When Fafnir crawled from his gold, he blew out venom, and it ran down from above on Sigurth's head. But when Fafnir crawled over the trench, then Sigurth thrust his sword into his body to the heart. Fafnir writhed and struck out with his head and tail. Sigurth leaped from the trench, and each looked at the other. Fafnir said:

Stanza 1"Youth, oh, youth! | of whom then, youth, art thou born? Say whose son thou art, Who in Fafnir's blood | thy bright blade reddened, And struck thy sword to my heart." Sigurth concealed his name because it was believed in olden times that the word of a dying man might have great power if he cursed his foe by his name. He said:

Stanza 2"The Noble Hart | my name, and I go A motherless man abroad; Father I had not, | as others have, And lonely ever I live."

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 3"If father thou hadst not, | as others have, By what wonder wast thou born? (Though thy name on the day | of my death thou hidest, Thou knowest now thou dost lie.)"

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 4"My race, methinks, | is unknown to thee, And so am I myself; Sigurth my name, | and Sigmund's son, Who smote thee thus with the sword."

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 5"Who drove thee on? | why wert thou driven My life to make me lose? A father brave | had the bright-eyed youth, For bold in boyhood thou art."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 6"My heart did drive me, | my hand fulfilled, And my shining sword so sharp; Few are keen | when old age comes, Who timid in boyhood be."

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 7"If thou mightest grow | thy friends among, One might see thee fiercely fight; But bound thou art, | and in battle taken, And to fear are prisoners prone."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 8"Thou blamest me, Fafnir, | that I see from afar The wealth that my father's was; Not bound am I, | though in battle taken, Thou hast found that free I live."

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 9"In all I say | dost thou hatred see, Yet truth alone do I tell; The sounding gold, | the glow-red wealth, And the rings thy bane shall be."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 10"Some one the hoard | shall ever hold, Till the destined day shall come; For a time there is | when every man Shall journey hence to hell."

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 11"The fate of the Norns | before the headland Thou findest, and doom of a fool; In the water shalt drown | if thou row 'gainst the wind, All danger is near to death."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 12"Tell me then, Fafnir, | for wise thou art famed, And much thou knowest now: Who are the Norns | who are helpful in need, And the babe from the mother bring?"

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 13"Of many births | the Norns must be, Nor one in race they were; Some to gods, others | to elves are kin, And Dvalin's daughters some."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 14"Tell me then, Fafnir, | for wise thou art famed, And much thou knowest now: How call they the isle | where all the gods And Surt shall sword-sweat mingle?"

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 15"Oskopnir is it, | where all the gods Shall seek the play of swords; Bilrost breaks | when they cross the bridge, And the steeds shall swim in the flood.

Stanza 16"The fear-helm I wore | to afright mankind, While guarding my gold I lay; Mightier seemed I | than any man, For a fiercer never I found."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 17"The fear-helm surely | no man shields When he faces a valiant foe; Oft one finds, | when the foe he meets, That he is not the bravest of all."

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 18"Venom I breathed | when bright I lay By the hoard my father had; (There was none so mighty | as dared to meet me, And weapons nor wiles I feared.)"

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 19"Glittering worm, | thy hissing was great, And hard didst show thy heart; But hatred more | have the sons of men For him who owns the helm."

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 20"I counsel thee, Sigurth, | heed my speech, And ride thou homeward hence, The sounding gold, | the glow-red wealth, And the rings thy bane shall be."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 21"Thy counsel is given, | but go I shall To the gold in the heather hidden; And, Fafnir, thou | with death dost fight, Lying where Hel shall have thee."

Fafnir spake:

Stanza 22"Regin betrayed me, | and thee will betray, Us both to death will he bring; His life, methinks, | must Fafnir lose, For the mightier man wast thou."

Regin had gone to a distance while Sigurth fought Fafnir, and came back while Sigurth was wiping the blood from his sword. Regin said:

Stanza 23"Hail to thee, Sigurth! | Thou victory hast, And Fafnir in fight hast slain; Of all the men | who tread the earth, Most fearless art thou, methinks."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 24"Unknown it is, | when all are together, (The sons of the glorious gods,) Who bravest born shall seem; Some are valiant | who redden no sword In the blood of a foeman's breast."

Regin spake:

Stanza 25"Glad art thou, Sigurth, | of battle gained, As Gram with grass thou cleansest; My brother fierce | in fight hast slain, And somewhat I did myself."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 26"Afar didst thou go | while Fafnir reddened With his blood my blade so keen; With the might of the dragon | my strength I matched, While thou in the heather didst hide."

Regin spake:

Stanza 27"Longer wouldst thou | in the heather have let Yon hoary giant hide, Had the weapon availed not | that once I forged, The keen-edged blade thou didst bear."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 28"Better is heart | than a mighty blade For him who shall fiercely fight; The brave man well | shall fight and win, Though dull his blade may be.

Stanza 29"Brave men better | than cowards be, When the clash of battle comes; And better the glad | than the gloomy man Shall face what before him lies.

Stanza 30"Thy rede it was | that I should ride Hither o'er mountains high; The glittering worm | would have wealth and life If thou hadst not mocked at my might." Then Regin went up to Fafnir and cut out his heart with his sword, that was named Rithil, and then he drank blood from the wounds. Regin said:

Stanza 31"Sit now, Sigurth, | for sleep will I, Hold Fafnir's heart to the fire; For all his heart | shall eaten be, Since deep of blood I have drunk."

Sigurth took Fafnir's heart and cooked it on a spit. When he thought that it was fully cooked, and the blood foamed out of the heart, then he tried it with his finger to see whether it was fully cooked. He burned his finger, and put it in his mouth. But when Fafnir's heart's-blood came on his tongue, he understood the speech of birds. He heard nut-hatches chattering in the thickets. A nut hatch said:

Stanza 32"There sits Sigurth, | sprinkled with blood, And Fafnir's heart | with fire he cooks; Wise were the breaker | of rings, I ween, To eat the life-muscles | all so bright."

A second spake:

Stanza 33"There Regin lies, | and plans he lays The youth to betray | who trusts him well; Lying words | with wiles will he speak, Till his brother the maker | of mischief avenges."

A third spake:

Stanza 34"Less by a head | let the chatterer hoary Go from here to hell; Then all of the wealth | he alone can wield, The gold that Fafnir guarded."

A fourth spake:

Stanza 35"Wise would he seem | if so he would heed The counsel good | we sisters give; Thought he would give, | and the ravens gladden, There is ever a wolf | where his ears I spy."

A fifth spake:

Stanza 36"Less wise must be | the tree of battle Than to me would seem | the leader of men, If forth he lets | one brother fare, When he of the other | the slayer is."

A sixth spake:

Stanza 37"Most foolish he seems | if he shall spare His foe, the bane of the folk, There Regin lies, | who hath wronged him so, Yet falsehood knows he not."

A seventh spake:

Stanza 38"Let the head from the frost-cold | giant be hewed, And let him of rings be robbed; Then all the wealth | which Fafnir's was Shall belong to thee alone."

Sigurth spake:

Stanza 39"Not so rich a fate | shall Regin have As the tale of my death to tell; For soon the brothers | both shall die, And hence to hell shall go." Sigurth hewed off Regin's head, and then he ate Fafnir's heart, and drank the blood of both Regin and Fafnir. Then Sigurth heard what the nut-hatch said:

Stanza 40"Bind, Sigurth, the golden | rings together, Not kingly is it | aught to fear; I know a maid, | there is none so fair, Rich in gold, | if thou mightest get her.

Stanza 41"Green the paths | that to Gjuki lead, And his fate the way | to the wanderer shows; The doughty king | a daughter has, That thou as a bride | mayst, Sigurth, buy."

Another spake:

Stanza 42"A hall stands high | on Hindarfjoll, All with flame | is it ringed without; Warriors wise | did make it once Out of the flaming | light of the flood.

Stanza 43"On the mountain sleeps | a battle-maid, And about her plays | the bane of the wood; Ygg with the thorn | hath smitten her thus, For she felled the fighter | he fain would save.

Stanza 44"There mayst thou behold | the maiden helmed, Who forth on Vingskornir | rode from the fight; The victory-bringer | her sleep shall break not, Thou heroes' son, | so the Norns have set."

Sigurth rode along Fafnir's trail to his lair, and found it open. The gate-posts were of iron, and the gates; of iron, too, were all the beams in the house, which was dug down into the earth. There Sigurth found a mighty store of gold, and he filled two chests full thereof; he took the fear-helm and a golden mail-coat and the sword Hrotti, and many other precious things, and loaded Grani with them, but the horse would not go forward until Sigurth mounted on his back.