Summary of the Thidrekssaga

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Detlef the Dane

111

In Denmark in Skåne in the place called Tummelborg there lived a man named Biterolf. His wife was Oda, and she was the daughter of the jarl of Sachsenland, and they had a son named Detlef.

Detlef preferred to be in the kitchen instead of riding with his father, and therefore his father and mother didn't really like him, and believed he was a fool and a changeling. Still, he had learned to ride a horse, throw spears, swing swords, and throw stones. Everybody assumed he was not really interested in that, though, and he never combed his hair and never bathed either in the bathhouse or a pool, and preferred to lie in the ashes in the kitchen and run around with the kitchen boys.

114

Then Detlef took his father's best horse, with saddle and tack, and rode to a farmer nearby, whose weapons he borrowed. Then he went home again.

This took place in the middle of winter, and the entire Sont was frozen until deep in the south at Jutland, so that one could use sleds to go from one village to another. It is unclear why this passage was included; the frozen Sont is not mentioned again. Or is this a chronological note, 'the year the Sont was frozen solid'? If so it's nearly the only one.

When Detlef came home his father saw he would come anyway, he decided to see what would happen if Detlef came to other people, and he also didn't want him to look ridiculous, and gave his men orders to arm Detlef properly. His father gave him good weapons, and his mother good clothers, and he bathed and combed his hair, and now all people who saw him said that they had never seen such a good youth. Then he went to the feast with his father and mother.

And while they staid at the feast Detlef behaved well, And when the feast was over Oda and the men returned home, but Biterolf set out for another feast, and Detlef with him, and staid there for a while more.

And when they returned home the Falsterwald was on their road, and the road went straight through it.

Grimhild's revenge

362

Then queen Oda, Gunther's and Giselher's mother, went to the king and said to him: Lord, I dreamed that I saw so many dead birds in Hunnenland that all the land was empty of birds. Now I hear that you want the Niflungen to go to Hunnenland, but great misfortune will befall both the Niflungen and the Hunnen if you do so. So do not go there; only evil will come of it, when you go.

Hagen replied: King Gunther had decided on this journey, and we don't care for dreams of an old woman. And Oda replied: King Gunther may do as he likes, and so may you, Hagen, but my young son Giselher should stay home. No, said Giselher, when my brothers go I will not stay behid. And he jumped up and took his weapons.

Status: summary of 3 chapters complete.

Other parts

  1. Samson (1-13)
  2. Hildebrand and Heime (14-20)
  3. Wieland the Smith (57-79)
  4. Witig (80-95)
  5. Journey to Osning (96-107)
  6. Witig and Heime (108-110,134-137,146-151)
  7. Detlef the Dane (111-129)
  8. Amelung, Wildeber, and Herbrand (130-133)
  9. Wildeber and Isung (138-145)
  10. Sigmund and Sisibe (152-161)
  11. Sigfrid's youth (162-168)
  12. Origins of the Niflungen (169-170)
  13. Dietrich's feast (171-191)
  14. The road to Bertangaland (192-199)
  15. The tournament (200-222)
  16. Dietrich's fellowship falls apart (223-226,240)
  17. Gunther and Brunhild (227-230)
  18. Walther and Hildegund (241-244)
  19. Ake and Iron (269-275)
  20. Dietrich's flight (276-290)
  21. The Wilkinen wars (291-315)
  22. The battle of Gransport (316-341)
  23. Sigfrid's death (342-348)
  24. Hertnit and Isung (349-355)
  25. Grimhild's revenge (356-394)