{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/tml/tml32.htm","path":"neu/tml/tml32.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/tml/tml32.htm","text":"Teutonic Myth and Legend, by Donald A. Mackenzie, [1912]\nHelgi's Youth--Hunding slain in Battle--Wooing of the Valkyrie Maid--Hodbrod, the Rival--How Sigrun was won--Dag's Vengeance--Helgi is slain--Sigrun's Curse--She sorrows for her Husband--Helgi's Ghost--Meeting with Sigrun--The Love Song at the Grave--Lovers born again.\nSIGMUND became a mighty ruler, and he made Borghild his queen. In happiness they dwelt together, and they had two sons who were named Helgi and Hamund. At Helgi's birth norns came and foretold that he would achieve great renown, as indeed he did, for while, he was yet a youth he became a far-famed warrior, strong-armed and fierce, in battle prowness surpassing even his sire.\nIn time, Helgi was chosen to be chief leader of the army, and so fiercely did he fight against King Hunding that he was surnamed Hundingsbane.\nNow Helgi in his boyhood had gone in disguise to Hunding's hall, where he was reared and trained in feats of strength. The day came when he was ready to wield arms against his country's foe, so he took his departure. As he left the Hall, he sent a message to King Hunding, making known whom he had fostered. The king was wroth, and he sent out warriors to slay the lad. But Helgi disguised himself as a bondmaid, and when his pursuers entered the house in which he had taken refuge they saw a woman grinding corn.\n\"The bondmaid hath fierce eyes,\" they said. \"She is not the daughter of a peasant. Her hands are more fitted for the sword.\"\nSo strong was Helgi, and so swiftly did he work, that the millstones were broken. It is not a warrior's task to grind corn.\nIn the war that followed a great battle was fought, and Helgi slew Hunding. Several of the king's sons fell by his sword in another battle, and those who survived vowed blood vengeance against him.\nAs Helgi left the battlefield he clad himself in a wolfskin, and in a forest he met a fair princess who was named Sigrun. She rode on a white horse and her maidens rode behind her. King Hogni, against whom Helgi had fought, was her sire, and she was a valkyrie and a swan maid.\nThe young warrior was heart-stricken with love for the fair princess, and he besought her to be his bride. But she told him that her sire had already promised her to Hodbrod, son of King Granmar; whereat Helgi vowed that he would go against his rival in battle. Then did Sigrun promise to be his bride when he had slain the hated Hodbrod.\nSo it fell that Helgi Hundingsbane warred against Hodbrod and his allies, the kinsfolk of Sigrun. He crossed the seas with Sinfjotle and a strong army; but a great tempest broke forth, and the ships would have been foundered had not the valkyrie maid come to protect them. After enduring great tribulation Helgi reached the kingdom of Granmar, where he fought a great battle. Sigrun hovered in mid-air, and gave her lover sure protection, and he prevailed over Hodbrod and slew him. Then was Hogni slain also, and all his sons fell with him save Dag.\nSigrun hailed her lover and gave him praise because\nthat he had slain the mighty Hodbrod, yet did she mourn for her sire and her brothers.\nHelgi comforted her, saying: \"The norns have not given thee good fortune in all things. I have slain thy kindred. Thou couldst not choose otherwise, because it was thy doom from birth to be the cause of great bloodshed. For thy sake have warriors striven. Weep not, Sigrun; heroes must die at their appointed time.\"\nSigrun embraced her lover and said: \"Although those who have fallen were still alive, I would love but Helgi.\"\nThen Helgi reigned over the land which he had conquered, and Sigrun was his queen. With Dag he took vows of fellowship and spared his life; but Hogni's son deemed that the call of blood vengeance was stronger than the oaths he had taken, even although he had sworn by Hela's holy river, and he resolved in his heart to take Helgi's life.\nNow it fell that Odin intervened. He gave to Dag his great spear Gungner, and as the youth went with the king through a forest grove, he drave the spear through Helgi's back, so that he fell dying upon the green sward. Thus was Hogni avenged.\nBut great was Sigrun's grief when Dag came to her with tidings that he had slain the world's best king. On his head she heaped curses, nor could she be consoled.\n\"May thine oaths smite thee,\" she cried: \"all the oaths thou didst swear with Helgi by Hela's shining stream. May thy ship sink with thee, although fair winds prevail. May thy horse stumble when thou art pursued by thy foes. May thy sword in battle wound none but thyself. The death of Helgi must be avenged against thee, and thou shalt be a wolf in the forest. . . .\n[paragraph continues] Be thy life empty of all thou dost desire. May thy food be the flesh of dead men.\"\n\"Wouldst thou call down such ill upon thy brother?\" Dag pleaded with her. \"The hand of Odin hath been laid heavily on Helgi. I shall give to thee golden rings, and half of the kingdom for thyself and thy sons.\"\nBut Sigrun wailed in her grief: \"Oh! never again can I be glad, neither by day nor by night. I love not life any more, for I shall ne'er behold my shining hero who was blithe in the hall and valorous in battle. High was Helgi above all other men as the ash tree is high above shrubs. . . . Never again can I see him alive.\"\nA grave mound was raised over Helgi's body, and his spirit went to Valhal. Odin made him chief ruler, and he gave Hunding a bondsman's tasks, for he set him to hew wood, to leash the hounds, and groom the horses, and ere he went to sleep to give mash to the swine.\nBut Helgi could not be happy even in Valhal, because that Sigrun cried ever for him; as bitterly and oft as her tears fell his wounds bled afresh. By nighttime he rode to the grave mound with many followers. There was no rest for Helgi among the dead.\nSigrun's bondmaid beheld the ghastly warriors riding round the mound, and she cried to them: \"Why ride ye forth, ye dead men? Can slain warriors return home again? Or hath the world's end come at length?\"\n\"The world's end hath come not yet,\" the slain warmen made answer, \"but dead heroes would fain return home. . . . The wounds of Helgi bleed afresh because of Sigrun's sorrow. Bid her come hither to stay the unceasing flow of anguish.\"\nThen did the bondmaid go unto Sigrun. \"Hasten thee to the grave mound,\" she cried. \"Dead men are\nabroad, and thou mayest behold the king once more. Helgi is there; his wounds bleed ever because of thy tears, and he would fain that thou wouldst give him healing.\"\nSigrun's tears ceased falling awhile. \"Glad am I to go forth even in darkness unto Helgi,\" she cried, \"and may the dews never shine to the dawn. His cold lips shall I kiss; I shall embrace my dead hero.\"\nSo she hastened unto the grave mound, and there she beheld her lord. Wan and pale was he indeed, and sorrow-stricken and cold. Sigrun kissed him and embraced him, and cried:\n\"O Helgi, thy hair is white with rime; thou art drenched with the dews of death. Cold, cold are thy hands; they are dripping blood. How shall I heal thee, O my hero?\nHelgi made answer: \"Bright flower of the south, thy tears have made me wet; thy sorrow hath drenched me with the dews of death. Ere thou dost sleep, O gold-decked maid. thou dost ever weep most bitter tears, and they fall upon my breast; as drops of blood they fall: they are cold and they pierce me: heavy are they and sharp as is thine anguish. . . . Grieve not although life and kingdom be lost; sing not the dirge of mourning although my wounds are deep, for know that dead men have brides and kings' dead daughters are with them.\"\nSigrun spread out a smooth grave bed for Helgi, and said to him, speaking low:\n\"A bed without pain I have made for thee, Helgi in comfort thou shalt rest upon it, O son of the Volsungs. O my king, O my love, I shall lie in thy bosom. I shall take thee in mine arms as if thou wert still alive.\"\n\"White maid whom I loved,\" spake Helgi, \"strange would it indeed be if the high-born daughter of King\n[paragraph continues] Hogni were laid while yet alive in a dead man's arms. . . . Now forth must I ride on the dawn-red road. I must climb, on my steed, the bridge of the gods, ere the shining cock of Asgard awakens the heroes in Valhal.\"\nSo they parted there at the grave mound, and Helgi, mounting on his steed, vanished in mid-air.\nBut when the day passed, and the night fell, Sigrun again returned to the grave mound of Helgi. She wept no tears and waited, but her hero came not nigh. All through the hours of darkness she waited, until the dawn broke faintly through the trees. Sitting there by her husband's grave mound, the love-lorn lady sang:\nAh! would that he came\n \u00a0\u00a0For fain would I greet him;\n He would come if he knew\n \u00a0\u00a0That I wait here to meet him;\n He'd come were he hearing--\n \u00a0\u00a0Heart-hearing my call,\n The son of great Sigmund,\n \u00a0\u00a0From Odin's high hall.\nO Helgi, mine own,\n My fair one, my rare one--\n Helgi, mine own.\nNow waneth my hope\n \u00a0\u00a0Of Helgi's returning,\n For the eagles awake\n \u00a0\u00a0And the dawn fires are burning;\n My love hath not heard me,\n \u00a0\u00a0He comes not to-night. . . .\n All the elf folk and death folk\n \u00a0\u00a0To Dreamland take flight.\nO Helgi, mine own,\n My white one, my bright one--\n Helgi, mine own.\nThe bondswoman soothed Sigrun, and 'twas thus she sang to her:--\nOh! hush thee. Oh! hush . . . who maketh thy moan,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0White Queen of the Southland,\n Fair Sigrun who waiteth in darkness alone,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0O loved one of Helgi;\n Thy heart should be filled, not with hope, but with dread--\n 'T is well that dawn cometh and black night hath fled--\n More fearsome and fierce are the warriors dead\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In darkness than day-shine.\nBut Sigrun would not be comforted, and she died of sorrow, Sad minstrels, singing to harp music in the feasting hall, have told that Helgi and Sigrun were born to life again.\nClerk Saunders and May Margaret\n \u00a0\u00a0Walked ower yon garden green;\n And sad and heavy was the love\n \u00a0\u00a0That fell thir twa between.\n. . . . . .\nIt was about the midnight hour,\n \u00a0\u00a0When they asleep were laid,\n When in came her seven brothers\n \u00a0\u00a0Wi' torches burning red.\nThen up and gat the seventh o' them,\n \u00a0\u00a0And never a word spake he;\n But he has striped his bright brown brand\n \u00a0\u00a0Out through Clerk Saunders' fair bodye.\nClerk Saunders he started and Margaret she turned\n \u00a0\u00a0Into his arms as asleep she lay; p. 306\n And sad and silent was the night\n \u00a0\u00a0That was atween thir twae.\nThe clinking bell gaed through the town,\n \u00a0\u00a0To carry the dead corpse to the clay;\n And Clerk Saunders stood at May Margaret's window\n \u00a0\u00a0I wot, an hour before the day.\n\"Are ye sleeping, Margaret?\" he says,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Or are ye waking presentlie?\n Give me my faith and troth again,\n \u00a0\u00a0I wot, true love, I gied to thee.\"\n\"Your faith and troth ye sall never get,\n \u00a0\u00a0Nor our true love sall never twin,\n Until ye come within my bower\n \u00a0\u00a0And kiss me cheek and chin.\"\n\"My mouth it is full cold, Margaret,\n \u00a0\u00a0It smells now o' the ground;\n And if I kiss thy comely mouth\n \u00a0\u00a0Thy days o' life will no' be lang.\n\"O, cocks are crowing a merry midnight,\n \u00a0\u00a0I wot the wild fowls are boding day;\n Give me my faith and troth again,\n \u00a0\u00a0And let me fare me on my way.\"--\n\"Thy faith and troth thou sall na get,\n \u00a0\u00a0And our true love shall never twin,\n Until ye tell what comes o' women,\n \u00a0\u00a0I wot, who die in strong traivelling?\"\n\"Their beds are made in heaven high,\n \u00a0\u00a0Down at the foot of our good Lord's knee,\n Weel set about wi' gilly flowers;\n \u00a0\u00a0I wot sweet company for to see.\n\"O, cocks are crowing at merry midnight,\n \u00a0\u00a0I wot the wild fowl are boding day;\n The psalms of heaven will soon be sung,\n \u00a0\u00a0And I, ere now, will be miss'd away.\nThen she has ta'en a crystal wand,\n \u00a0\u00a0And she has stroken her troth thereon;\n She has given it him out at the shot-window,\n \u00a0\u00a0Wi' mony a sad sigh, and heavy groan.\n\"I thank ye, Marg'ret; I thank ye, Margaret;\n \u00a0\u00a0And aye I thank ye heartilie;\n Gin ever the dead come for the quick,\n \u00a0\u00a0Be sure, Marg'ret, I'll come for thee.\"--\nIt 's hosen and shoon, and gown alone,\n \u00a0\u00a0She climb'd the wall, and followed him,\n Until she came to the green forest,\n \u00a0\u00a0And there she lost the sight o' him.\n\"Is there ony room at your head, Saunders?\n \u00a0\u00a0Is there ony room at your feet ,\n Or ony room at your side, Saunders,\n \u00a0\u00a0Where fain, fain I would sleep?\"--\n\"There's nae room at my bead, Marg'ret,\n \u00a0\u00a0There's nae room at my feet;\n My bed it is full lowly now:\n \u00a0\u00a0Amang the hungry worms I sleep.\n\"Cauld mould is my covering now,\n \u00a0\u00a0But and my winding-sheet;\n The dew it falls nae sooner down\n \u00a0\u00a0Than my resting-place is weet.\n\"But plait a wand o' bonny birk,\n \u00a0\u00a0And lay it on my breast;\n And shed a tear upon my grave,\n \u00a0\u00a0And wish my soul gude rest.\n\"And fair Marg'ret and rare Marg'ret,\n \u00a0\u00a0And Marg'ret o' veritie,\n Gin e'er ye love another man,\n \u00a0\u00a0Ne'er love him as ye did me.\"--\nThen up and crew the milk-white cock,\n \u00a0\u00a0And up and crew the grey;\n Her lover vanish'd in the air,\n \u00a0\u00a0And she gaed weeping away,\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0--Scottish Border Ballad","title":"Teutonic Myth and Legend: Chapter XXVII. Helgi Hundingsbane","type":"page"}