The Horse Gullfaxi And The Sword Gunnfoder

Many years ago, in a kingdom of green valleys and gray mountains, there lived a king and queen who had one son, Prince Sigurd. When Sigurd was only ten years old, the queen fell ill and died. The king loved her dearly, and every day he would sit by her splendid monument, weeping and remembering her. One morning, as he sat there, a richly dressed lady appeared beside him. She told him her name was Ingiborg, and that she had recently lost her husband. They spoke of their sorrows, and the king found comfort in her company. Soon he invited her to the palace, and after a while they were married.

The new queen brought life back to the court. The king, once again cheerful, often rode out hunting with his men. But young Sigurd, who was fond of his stepmother, chose to stay behind with her.

One evening Ingiborg said to Sigurd, "Tomorrow your father is going hunting, and you must go with him." But Sigurd shook his head. "I would rather stay at home with you," he said. The next morning, when the king rode off, Sigurd refused to join him. His stepmother grew angry, but he would not listen. At last she said, "You will be sorry for your disobedience. In future, do as I tell you." Even so, after the hunting party had gone, she hid Sigurd under her bed, bidding him lie there until she called.

Sigurd lay very still, listening to the quiet of the castle. After a long while, he began to think it was no use to stay hidden, but then he felt the floor shake beneath him, as if a great weight moved through the earth. Peeping out, he saw a giantess wading ankle-deep through the ground, her steps ploughing up the soil. She entered the room with a booming voice: "Good morning, Sister Ingiborg! Is Prince Sigurd at home?"

"No," said Ingiborg calmly. "He rode off to the forest with his father this morning." She set the table and served her sister a feast. After they had eaten, the giantess said, "Thank you for the good dinner, sister—the best lamb, the best can of beer, and the best drink I ever had. But—is Prince Sigurd not at home?" Ingiborg again said no, and the giantess left. Once she was out of sight, Ingiborg called Sigurd from his hiding place.

The king returned at night, but Ingiborg said nothing of the visit. The next day she begged Sigurd to go hunting, but again he refused. So she hid him under the table, scolding him for his stubbornness. Soon the floor trembled, and another giantess came, wading halfway to her knees through the ground. She asked the same question, and Ingiborg gave the same answer. After the meal, the giantess thanked her sister and said, "But—is Prince Sigurd really not at home?"

"No, certainly not!" said Ingiborg. And the giantess left. When she was far away, Sigurd crept out, and his stepmother told him that the next day he must go with his father. But Sigurd said, "I do not see what harm can come of staying," and he was so obstinate that he stayed home again. The next morning, as the king prepared to ride out, Ingiborg implored Sigurd to go, but he would not listen. "You will have to hide me again," he said. So Ingiborg hid him between the wall and the wooden paneling.

Soon the earth shook as if an earthquake struck, and a third giantess, even larger than the first two, waded knee-deep through the ground and into the room. "Good day, Sister Ingiborg!" she cried, her voice like thunder. "Is Prince Sigurd at home?"

"Oh, no," answered Ingiborg. "He is enjoying himself in the forest. It will be dark before he returns."

"That's a lie!" shouted the giantess. They argued until they were tired. Then the giantess ate, and when she had finished, she said, "I thank you for all this good food, but—are you quite sure Prince Sigurd is not at home?"

"Quite," said Ingiborg. "I told you already, he rode off with his father."

At this the giantess roared, "If he is near enough to hear my words, I lay this spell on him: Let him be half scorched and half withered; and may he have neither rest nor peace until he finds me." With that, she stalked away.

For a moment Ingiborg stood like stone, then she pulled Sigurd from his hiding place. Horrified, she saw that he was indeed half scorched and half withered, his skin parched on one side and pale on the other. "Now you see what your obstinacy has done," she said. "But we must hurry, for your father will soon return." She led him to the next room, opened a chest, and took out a ball of string and three gold rings. "If you throw this ball on the ground," she said, "it will roll until it reaches some high cliffs. There you will see a giantess looking out. She will call down to you and say, 'Ah, just what I wanted! Here is Prince Sigurd. He shall go into the pot to-night!' But do not be frightened. She will draw you up with a long boat-hook. Greet her from me and give her the smallest ring. That will please her, and she will ask you to wrestle.

When you grow faint, she will offer you a horn to drink from, and the wine will make you strong so you can conquer her. She will let you stay the night. The same will happen with my two other sisters. But remember above all: if my little dog comes to you, with paws on you and tears streaming down its face, then hurry home, because my life will be in danger. Now go, and don't forget your stepmother."

Sigurd kissed her, took the ball, and threw it. The ball rolled along the ground, and he followed it until evening, when it stopped at the foot of some high cliffs. Looking up, he saw a giantess peering over the edge. "Ah, just what I wanted!" she cried. "Here is Prince Sigurd! He shall go into the pot to-night. Come up, my friend, and wrestle with me!" She reached down a long boat-hook and hauled him up the cliff. At first Sigurd was frightened, but he remembered Ingiborg's words. He greeted her, gave her the smallest ring, and said, "My stepmother sends her greetings."

The giantess was delighted by the ring. "Come," she said, "let us wrestle." Sigurd loved games, and he began joyfully, but he was no match for her. As he grew faint, she foolishly handed him a horn filled with a sweet, strong drink. After drinking, Sigurd felt power surge through him. With a mighty effort, he threw the giantess to the ground. "You have won," she said. "You may stay here to-night." Glad for the rest, Sigurd slept.

The next morning he threw down the ball again. It rolled far, until it stopped at the foot of another high rock. Above stood a second giantess, even bigger and uglier. "Ah, this is just what I wanted!" she cried. "Here is Prince Sigurd! He shall go into the pot to-night. Come up and wrestle with me!" She hauled him up at once. He gave her his stepmother's message and the second largest ring. She was pleased, and challenged him to wrestle. They struggled for a long time, and when Sigurd began to weaken, she gave him a horn to drink. He drank, and with one arm he threw her down. "You have won," she said, and let him stay.

On the third morning, Sigurd threw down the ball, and it rolled far away, stopping beneath a towering cliff. Above the edge, the most hideous giantess ever seen looked down. "Ah, here comes Prince Sigurd!" she shrieked. "Into the pot he goes this very night! Come up and wrestle with me!" She hauled him up like her sisters. Sigurd gave her the message and the largest ring, adorned with red gold. The sight of it delighted her. "Now let us wrestle," she said. This time the fight was fierce and long, but when his strength was fading, she gave him a drink that renewed his power, and soon he brought her to her knees. "You have beaten me," she gasped. "Now listen. Not far from here is a lake. You will find a little girl playing with a boat. Make friends with her, and give her this little gold ring. You are stronger than ever you were, and I wish you good luck." She handed him the ring, and they parted.

Sigurd wandered on until he reached the lake, and there he saw a little girl playing with a tiny boat. She had golden hair and a gentle smile. "What is your name?" he asked. "Helga," she said. "I live nearby." Sigurd gave her the gold ring and asked if she would play with him. Helga was delighted, for she had no brothers or sisters, and they played together all day.

When evening came, Sigurd asked if he could go home with her. But Helga shook her head. "No, you cannot," she said. "My father is a fierce giant, and he would find you. No stranger has ever entered our house without being discovered."

Still, Sigurd insisted, and at last Helga agreed. But as they neared her door, she held her glove over him, and Sigurd turned into a bundle of wool. Helga tucked it under her arm and threw it on her bed. Just then her father rushed in, sniffing the air. "This place smells of men! What's that you threw on the bed, Helga?" "A bundle of wool," she said. The giant grunted, "Perhaps it is that I smell," and troubled himself no more.

The next day, Helga took the bundle to the lake and held her glove over it, and Sigurd became himself again. They played all day, and Sigurd taught her new games. As they walked home, Helga said, "We can play better tomorrow, for my father will go to town, and we can stay at home." At the door, again she hid him as a bundle of wool.

The following morning, as soon as her father was gone, Helga restored Sigurd. She took him through the house, showing him every room, for she had the keys. In the last room, Sigurd noticed a key that had not been used. "What room does this open?" he asked. Helga reddened and did not answer. "I suppose you don't mind my seeing the room?" he pressed. Then he saw a heavy iron door and begged Helga to unlock it, even just a tiny chink. She reluctantly did so, but Sigurd, eager, pushed it wide open and walked in.

Inside, a splendid horse stood ready, with a golden mane that shimmered in the light. Above it hung a magnificent sword, its hilt engraved with words: "He who rides this horse and wears this sword will find happiness." Sigurd was filled with wonder. At last he gasped, "Oh, do let me mount him and ride him around the house! Just once! I promise not to ask more."

Helga grew pale. "Ride Gullfaxi? My father would never forgive me!" "But it can't do him harm," argued Sigurd. "I have ridden all sorts of horses at home and never fallen. Oh, please!" "Well, perhaps, if you come back directly," she said doubtfully. "But you must be quick!" Instead of mounting, Sigurd looked up at the sword. "And the sword—what a beauty! My father is a king, but he has no such sword. Is it named?" "It is called 'Gunnfjoder,' the Battle Plume," said Helga, "and Gullfaxi means Golden Mane. If you take the sword, you must also carry the stick, the stone, and the twig." "They look so plain," scoffed Sigurd. "Why keep them?" "Father says he would rather lose Gullfaxi than them," she answered. "If the rider is pursued, he throws the twig, and it becomes a forest so thick that even a bird can't fly through.

If the enemy knows magic and cuts it down, then the rider strikes the stone with the stick, and hailstones as big as pigeons' eggs rain down and kill all within twenty miles."

Having told him this, Helga allowed him to ride "just once" around the house, with the sword and the three articles. But when he had circled, Sigurd did not dismount. Instead, he turned the horse's head and galloped away. Helga called after him, but he was gone.

Soon her father returned and found her in tears. When he heard what had happened, he rushed off in pursuit.

Meanwhile, Sigurd looked back and saw the giant coming with great strides. In haste, he threw the twig behind him, and a dense forest sprang up between them. The giant had to run home for an axe to cut through. Sigurd galloped on, but the giant made quick progress. The next time Sigurd glanced back, the giant was so close that he almost touched Gullfaxi's tail.

In fear, Sigurd turned in his saddle and, without looking, hit the stone with the stick. A terrible hailstorm burst behind him, and the giant was killed. (If he had turned, the hail would have struck him.)

After the giant fell, Sigurd rode on toward his own home. On the way, he met his stepmother's little dog, running to him with tears streaming down its face. Remembering Ingiborg's warning, Sigurd galloped as hard as he could. Arriving at the palace, he found nine servants tying Queen Ingiborg to a post in the courtyard, preparing to burn her. In wild anger, Sigurd sprang from the horse, drew his sword, and killed them all. Then he released his stepmother and led her inside to see his father, who lay sick with sorrow, thinking his son was dead. The king could hardly believe his eyes, but joy flooded him, and Sigurd told all his adventures.

Soon after, Sigurd rode back to fetch Helga, and a great feast was held that lasted three days. Everyone said no bride was ever as beautiful as Helga, and the two lived happily for many years, loved by all.