All Articles

Helgi Hiorvardsson

Helgi Hiorvardsson should not be confused with Helgi Hundingsbani, son of Sigmund and Borghild (Helgi Hundingsbani was also known as Helgi Sigmunda...

April 4th, 2010

By Jimmy Joe

Background

Background for the Norse Volung-Niflung myth and the German Nibelung epic. Sources The Edda Who were the Nibelungs? Plot ComparisonSources There ar...

July 28th, 2001

By Jimmy Joe

Teutonic Wise Women

Before I list articles on sorceresses and prophetesses, I should perhaps begin with witches that were celebrated among the ancient Teutonic people....

September 28th, 2003

By Jimmy Joe

Thorbjörg líilvölva

The prophetess in Eiriks Saga Rauda, a 13th century Icelanders' saga. Thorbjörg earned the name líilvölva, which means "little sibyl", because she ...

February 1st, 2007

By Jimmy Joe

Hvit

Sorceress in the saga of Hrolf Kraki. Hvit was the daughter of Finn, the King of Finnmark, which was a medieval name for Lappland. She married Hrin...

September 28th, 2003

By Jimmy Joe

Skuld

Sorceress in the saga of Hrolf Kraki. Skuld was a daughter of Helgi and an unnamed fairy woman. She was a half-sister of Hrolf Kraki, king of Denma...

September 28th, 2003

By Jimmy Joe

Yrsa (Yrse)

Queen of Denmark and Sweden. In the Icelandic tradition, her name was Yrsa. In the Danish Gestuam Danorum (the history of Denmark that was written ...

September 28th, 2003

By Jimmy Joe

Grimhild

Queen and sorceress. Grimhild was the wife of Giuki (Gjuki), king of the southern Rhine, Burgundy (Niflungland). She was the mother of three sons -...

September 28th, 2003

By Jimmy Joe

Borghild

A sorceress, who was particularly skilled with poison. Borghild was the first wife of the hero Sigmund, king of Hunland. She was the mother of two ...

September 28th, 2003

By Jimmy Joe

Groa

Sorceress and a sibyl. Groa was wife of Aurvandil the Bold. She appeared in the Prose Edda, in the myth where Thor fought the giant Hrungnir. Altho...

September 28th, 2003

By Jimmy Joe

Sibyl

Prophetess. Sibyl was actually the Latin name for several prophetesses that appeared in Roman legends. One of the Sibyls guided the Trojan hero Aen...

September 28th, 2003

By Jimmy Joe

Heid

According to the Voluspa (Poetic Edda), Heid (Bright One) was the reincarnation of the healing goddess Gullveig. She was sometimes confused with th...

September 28th, 2003

By Jimmy Joe