Völsung

Volsung is a mythological figure from the Norse sagas. He was King of Hunaland.

Family

Volsung was the son of Rerir, grandson of Sigi 's (Odin's son ) and the founder of the family of the Wölsungen. He was married to Liod, daughter of the giant Hrimnir. Your children Sigmund and his sister Signy were twins and the oldest. After that, the couple had nine sons.

Life

Volsung is built according to tradition, a hall, in the center stood a large apple tree. Siggeir king of Gautland ( mglw. Gotland ), held by the hand Signys, however, was not very excited about it. But her family allowed the marriage anyway.

Wedding and the consequences

During the wedding a stranger, a tall old man suddenly appeared with only one eye. He was Odin himself, went to the apple tree, took a sword and cut the blade into the trunk. Then he announced that this sword was intended for the man who could out pull it out of the trunk again, and disappeared. Each guest tried to pull the sword from the tree, but only Sigmund succeeded in this effort. The blade was called Gram. Siggeir, his brother, offered three times for the sword its weight in gold, but Sigmund refused. This angered Siggeir very, drove back the next day back home and wanted revenge.

Three months later Volsung and his sons were invited to be feasted by Siggeir. Signy she expected and warned that they would Siggeir invaded sneaky. The Wölsungen rejected the warning. They were ambushed by the Gautländer, Volsung fell in battle, his 10 sons were captured and put to death in the forest. All but Sigmund died.

Through a ruse, and with the help of a spell Signy Sigmund brought to bear witness to a child with her, the boy Sinfjotli. These two measures, as Sinfjotli had grown to manhood, revenge on the king of Gautland and then returned after Hunaland.