The Story of Siegfried Part 28

[EN#30]--Loki.

"Loki, in nature, is the corrupting element in air, fire, and water. In the bowels of the earth he is the volcanic flame, in the sea he appears as a fierce serpent, and in the lower world we recognize him as pale death. Like Odin, he pervades all nature. He symbolizes sin, shrewdness, deceitfulness, treachery, malice etc."--Anderson's Mythology, p. 372.

He corresponds to the Ahriman of the Persians, to the Satan of the Christians, and remotely to the Prometheus of the Greeks.

[EN#31]--The Quarrel of the Queens.

In the ancient versions, the culmination of this quarrel occurred while the queens were bathing in the river: in the Nibelungen Lied it happened on the steps leading up to the door of the church.

[EN#32]--Hagen.

Hagen corresponds to the Hoder of the more ancient myth of Balder. In the Sigurd Sagas he is called Hogni, and is a brother instead of an uncle, of Gunther (Gunnar).

[EN#33]--The Death of Siegfried.

This story is related here essentially as found in the Nibelungen Lied. It is quite differently told in the older versions. Siegfried's invulnerability save in one spot reminds us of Achilles, who also was made invulnerable by a bath, and who could be wounded only in the heel.

[EN#34]--The Burial of Siegfried.

The story of the burning of Siegfried's body upon a funeral-pile, as related of Sigurd in the older myths, reminds us of the burning of Balder upon the s.h.i.+p "Ringhorn." (See p. 162.) The Nibelungen Lied represents him as being buried in accordance with the rites of the Roman-Catholic Church. This version of the story must, of course, have been made after the conversion of the Germans to Christianity. "When the Emperor Frederick III. (1440-93) visited Worms after his Netherlands campaign," says Forestier, "he undertook to have the mighty hero's bones disinterred, probably in view of proving the truth of the marvellous story then sung throughout Germany; but, although he had the ground dug into until water streamed forth, no traces of these became manifest."

[EN#35]--Morris: Sigurd the Volsung, Bk. III.

[EN#36]--The h.o.a.rd.

The story of bringing the h.o.a.rd from Nibelungen Land belongs to the later versions of the myth, and fitly closes the First Part of the Nibelungen Lied. Lochheim, the place where the h.o.a.rd was sunk, was not far from Bingen on the Rhine.

[EN#37]--a Short Vocabulary of the Princ.i.p.al Proper Names Mentioned in this Story.

AEGIR. The G.o.d of the sea.

ALBERICH and ANDVARI. Dwarfs who guard the great h.o.a.rd.

ASA. A name applied to the G.o.ds of the Norse mythology.

ASGARD. The home of the G.o.ds.

BALDER. The G.o.d of the summer sunlight.

BRAGI. The G.o.d of eloquence and of poetry.

DRAUPNER. Odin's ring, which gives fertility to the earth.

FAFNIR. The dragon whom Siegfried slays.

FENRIS-WOLF. The monster who in the last twilight slays Odin.

FREYJA. The G.o.ddess of love.

REY. The G.o.d of peace and plenty.

GRIPIR. The giant who gives wise counsel to Siegfried (Sigurd).

GUNTHER. In the older myths called Gunnar.

HEIMDAL. The heavenly watchman.

HELA. The G.o.ddess of death.

HERMOD. The quick messenger who is sent to Hela for Balder.

HODER. The winter-G.o.d. He slays Balder.

HOENIR. One of the three most ancient G.o.ds.

HUGIN. Odin's raven, Thought.

IDUN. The G.o.ddess of spring.

IVALD. A skilful dwarf.

JOTUNHEIM. The home of the giants.

KRIEMHILD. In the older myths called Gudrun.

LOKI. The mischief-maker. The G.o.d of evil.

MIMER. In the later German mythology a skilful smith. In the older mythology a wise giant.

NORNS. The three Fates,--Urd, Verdande, and Skuld.

ODIN. The chief of the G.o.ds.

REGIN. The teacher of Sigurd, by whom he is slain.

SIEGFRIED. In the older myths called Sigurd.

SIF. Thor's wife.

SLEIPNER. Odin's eight-footed horse.

TYR. The G.o.d of war.

THOR. The G.o.d of thunder. The foe of the giants.

VALHAL. The hall of the slain.

VALKYRIES. The choosers of the slain. Odin's handmaidens.

VIDAR. The silent G.o.d.

YMIR. The huge giant out of whose body the world was made.