Summary of the Thidrekssaga

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The road to Bertangaland

193

Now they came to a large forest their road went through. Herbrand held his horse and told king Diet­rich they had reached the Bertangaland forest, and in the forest lives a giant called Etger, a son of king Nordian and a brother of the giants Wildeber killed 144. Etger is here to protect king Isung's lands. Now the road to Bertangaland goes through this forest, but the giant is so strong that I do not know his equal. Anyone who wishes should ride into the forest, but I will not go any further than this unless all of us go. And now I have warned you.

Witig replied: If all that is the case, Herbrand, you and king Diet­rich and all the others should wait outside, but I will ride into the forest and talk to the giant, and it could be I get him to allow us to pass through, since we are relatives. And if he refuses, my stallion will not carry me slower back to you than forward to the giant. The king and all companions agreed to this.

194

Although they did not cultivate it much, Witig and Etger the giant were related. Because Witig was the son of Wieland the Smith, whom the Northmen Væringjar call Völund fyrir hagleiks sakar Google Translate says 'for the sake of good fortune'. This part is missing from Von der Hagen's translation., and Wieland was a son of the giant Wade, and Wade was the son of king Wilkinus and a sea lady sjókona, as was said earlier 23. But king Wilkinus had another son with his own wife eiginkona called Nordian, who was also a king, but a lesser one than his father, and Nordian had four sons who were all strong giants: Aventrod, Widolf with the Pole, and the third was Etger, who lived in this forest, and the fourth was Aspilian, who was also a king, and he was like other children of men i.e. not a giant. In this way Witig and the giant Etger were related.

Ake and Iron

271

A while after jarl Iron set out on a journey with his hunter Nordian and a few knights and many dogs, and they made sure they could stay away for two months. And they went hunting in the unpopulated areas, until they came in the realm of duke Ake.

Then jarl Iron heard that king Ermenrik would give a feast in Rome, and king Diet­rich had been invited as well as duke Ake. Then Iron sent a knight to the castle with a letter to Bolfriana and the message he'd come as soon as the duke had gone away.

The knight disguised himself as a minstrel and managed to give Bolfriana the right sign and the letter, and said jarl Iron would ride into the castle at nighttime.

When Bolfriana poured Ake's drink he offered her half, and she drank, and so it went throughout the evening, and she became drunk and fell asleep. The duke had some of his knights carry Bolfriana to bed, and he also went to bed. But he went through his wife's girdle and found the letter, that invited Bolfriana to come to him in the forest the night after Ake had left for the feast. But when Ake did not leave she should send Iron a message. When he had read the letter he went to sleep, and the next morning he woke Bolfriana and was friendly to her. Then he rode out to Rome.

274

Nordian and the three knights felt that jarl Iron had been away for too long, searched from him, and heard the howling of his dogs at Iron's grave. Nordian recognised the animals, and they opened the grave and found their lord Iron with many wounds, and they considered it likely Ake had done this.

They took the horse, dogs, and hawks, and staid in Amelungenland until they were certain Ake had done this. Then they rode home to Hunnenland and told king Attila the story. He set a new man over Brandenborg, that jarl Iron had once ruled.

Status: summary of 4 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)