Sacred Texts: Legends and Sagas

Teutonic Myth and Legend: Chapter XXV. The Doom of the Vo...

Summary only - full text stays on its own separately-gated source. Read the full text at the source »

This is an excerpt from *Teutonic Myth and Legend* (1912) by Donald A. Mackenzie, a popular retelling and synthesis of Germanic and Norse mythological traditions drawn from Old Norse eddic sources, Anglo-Saxon tradition, and related material. The work covers the interconnected legend cycles of Weland the Smith (the Anglo-Saxon name for the Norse Völund), the cursed treasure of the dwarf Andvari, and the origins of the Volsung dynasty — treating them as parts of a single continuous mythological chain. Its central organizing conceit is the curse on the ring and gold hoard, which passes from Andvari through Hreidmar, Fafner (who transforms into a dragon guarding the gold), and eventually toward Sigurd, setting up the full Volsung saga. Mackenzie frames these legends as a linked narrative chain, explicitly connecting the Weland/Völund swan-maiden story to the Rhinegold/Nibelung cycle in a way that emphasizes their shared roots and thematic continuity — treasure, betrayal, vengeance, and doom echoing across generations. The writing style is elevated but accessible, aimed at a general Edwardian readership rather than scholars, presenting the myths as living heroic literature rather than dry comparative folklore. Readers interested in a narrative overview of Germanic myth that bridges Norse, Anglo-Saxon, and pan-Germanic traditions will find this useful, though those seeking rigorous philological analysis should look elsewhere.

Teutonic Myth and Legend: Chapter XXV. The Doom of the Vo...

Related pages View as graph →