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Poetic Edda

[1]Sigmund[2], the son of Volsung[2], was a king in the land of the Franks[3]; Sinfjotli[2] was his eldest son, the second was Helgi[4], and the third Hamund[4]. Borghild, Sigmund's wife, had a brother who was named ———.[5] Sinfjotli, her stepson, and ——— both wooed the same woman, wherefore Sinfjotli slew him. And when he came home, Borghild bade him depart, but Sigmund offered her atonement-money, and this she had to accept. At the funeral feast Borghild brought in ale; she took poison, a great horn full, and brought it to Sinfjotli. But when he looked into the horn, he saw that it was poison, and said to Sigmund: "Muddy is the drink, Father!" Sigmund took the horn and drank therefrom. It is said that Sigmund was so hardy that poison might not harm him, either outside or in, but all his sons could withstand poison only without on their skin. Borghild bore another horn to Sinfjotli and bade him drink, and all happened as before. And yet a third time she brought him a horn, and spoke therewith scornful

[6][7]

  1. ↑ Prose.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Regarding Sigmund, Sinfjotli, and Volsung see Introductory Note.
  3. ↑ The Franks: although the Sigurth story had reached the North as early as the sixth or seventh century, it never lost all the marks of its Frankish origin.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Helgi and Hamund: sons of Sigmund and Borghild; Helgi is, of course Helgi Hundingsbane; of Hamund nothing further is recorded.
  5. ↑ Borghild: the manuscript leaves a blank for the name of her brother; evidently the compiler hoped some day to discover it and write it in, but never did. A few editions insert wholly unauthorized names from late paper manuscripts, such as Hroar, Gunnar, or Borgar.
  6. ↑ In the Volsungasaga Borghild bids Sinfjotli drink "if he has the courage of a Volsung."
  7. ↑ Sigmund gives his advice because "the king was very drunk, and that was why he spoke thus." Gering, on the other hand, gives Sigmund credit for having believed that the draught would deposit its poisonous

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