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Classical Mythology Greek and Roman myths, gods, heroes, and epic tales Norse Mythology Vikings, Asgard, Ragnarok, and the nine realms Celtic Mythology Irish, Welsh, and Gaelic legends and folklore Arthurian Legends King Arthur, Camelot, the Round Table, and the Holy Grail Egyptian Mythology Pharaohs, pyramids, and ancient Nile deities Japanese Mythology Shinto gods, spirits, and legendary creatures Chinese Mythology Dragons, immortals, and celestial beings Aztec Mythology Mesoamerican gods, rituals, and creation myths Ancient Literature Classical texts, translations, and literary analysis
Greek Gods The Olympians, Titans, and primordial deities Roman Gods Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and the Roman pantheon Norse Gods Odin, Thor, Loki, and the Aesir and Vanir Egyptian Gods Ra, Osiris, Isis, Anubis, and more Celtic Gods The Tuatha Dé Danann and Celtic deities Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Aztec deities Japanese Gods Amaterasu, Susanoo, and Shinto kami Chinese Gods Jade Emperor, Dragon Kings, and celestial beings View All 150+ Deities Browse the complete collection of mythological deities View all gods & deities
All Stories Browse 800+ mythology and history stories Characters Profiles of 67 mythological heroes, gods, and villains Mythology Stories Ancient myths and legends retold History Stories Historical tales from ancient civilizations Religion & Culture Religious traditions and cultural beliefs View all stories
Name Generators Generate fantasy and mythology-inspired names All Articles Browse 1,800+ articles on mythology and history About Timeless Myths Learn about this mythology resource Bibliography Sources and references used on this site FAQ Frequently asked questions Contact Get in touch with us
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  1. Norse Mythology
    Asgard Valhalla Norse Sagas About Norse Mythology Facts and Figures Genealogy Bibliography
  2. Valhalla
    Norse Heroes 1 Norse Heroes 2 Valkyries German Heroes Witches Minor Norse Characters
  3. Minor Norse Characters
    Atli (Attila) Fafnir Guttorm Heimir Hreidmar Hunding Jormunrek Lyngvi Mimir Otter Regin Rerir Siggeir Sigi Volsung
  4. Regin
    Regin

Regin

In the Icelandic legend, Regin was the son of Hreidmar and brother of Fafnir and Otter.

When Fafnir killed their father, he wanted the entire treasure for himself, so he drove Regin away. Not long after that, Fafnir was turned into a fearsome dragon.

Regin became Sigurd's foster father and tutor in Hjalprek's court in Denmark. He told Sigurd's story about his family and the treasure. Sigurd decided to help Regin in gaining the treasure. It was Regin who reforged Sigmund's shattered sword. Sigurd called this sword, Gram. With this sword, Sigurd killed the dragon.

Regin hoped to keep all the treasure, and tricked Sigurd that he would not seek vengeance upon the young hero if he cooked Fafnir's heart for him to eat. By eating the dragon's heart, Regin would become stronger than Sigurd. However, Sigurd discovered the deception when he tasted the dragon's blood and could understand the speech of the birds. The birds revealed the truth of Regin's intention, so Sigurd killed Regin and took all of the treasure.


In the Norwegian Thiðrekssaga, Regin was the brother of the smith Mimir. Here, Regin had been transformed into a dragon, while it was Mimir who was the foster father of Sigurd and made the sword Gram for Sigurd. However, Sigurd did not use the Gram to kill the dragon (Regin); instead, Sigurd used a large log that he had used to build a fire. With this wood, Sigurd struck dragon's head and killed Regin. Then Sigurd used his axe to chop off the dragon's head.

Sigurd, feeling hungry, cooked a bit of meat of the dragon in his kettle. Like in the Volsunga Saga, some of the juice (blood) of the dragon burned his finger. Sigurd immediately could understand the speech of the birds. Sigurd learned that Mimir had sent him into the forest to die. Sigurd ate the dragon's meat. Then Sigurd bathed in the dragon's blood, which made his skin hard and horny, invulnerable to all weapons except for the small part of his back which he could not reach.

Sigurd returned to his foster father with the dragon's head. Mimir knew the hero's intention to kill him for betrayal. Mimir promised to give him treasure and an invincible weapon to ransom his life. Mimir also revealed the wonderful horse at the castle of Brynhild. Mimir gave him armour, a helmet and the sword Gram. With the sword in his hand, Sigurd's lopped off Mimir's head. Sigurd took all the treasure within the smithy and left.

Related Information

Name

Regin, Reginn.

Reginn Hreiðmarsson.

Related Articles

Hreidmar, Otter, Fafnir, Sigurd. Völsunga Saga.

Jimmy Joe Timeless Myths

By Jimmy Joe

Minor Norse Characters:

  • • Atli (Attila)
  • • Fafnir
  • • Guttorm
  • • Heimir
  • • Hreidmar
  • • Hunding
  • • Jormunrek
  • • Lyngvi
  • • Mimir
  • • Otter
  • • Regin
  • • Rerir
  • • Siggeir
  • • Sigi
  • • Volsung
Fafnir

Fafnir

Fafnir was the son of Hreidmar and brother of Otter and Regin. Once Hreidmar received the ransom (Andvari's treassure) from Loki, greed set in, in the entire family. Fafnir killed his father and drove Regin off, keeping the whole treasure for hims...

August 27th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Fafnir

Fafnir

Dragon. Fafnir was the son of Hreidmar, and brother of Regin and Otter. Originally, Fafnir was a human who was able to shape-shift. Fafnir gained possession of the treasure after killing his father. He drove his brother (Regin) away by changing hi...

August 27th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Mimir

Mimir

In the Norwegian epic called Thiðrekssaga, Mimir was the great smith who was the first master to teach Velent (Wayland), as well as being the foster father of the hero Sigurd. Mimir was the brother of Regin, who was an evil man who had turned into...

August 27th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Hreidmar

Hreidmar

According to the Volsunga Saga, Hreidmar was a father to four sons - Otter, Fafnir and Regin. However, in the Reginsmal, an Eddaic poem from the Poetic Edda, Hreidmar was also the father of two daughters - Lofnheid and Lyngheid. Hreidmar was host ...

August 27th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Sigurd

Sigurd

In the Norse legends, Sigurd was the son of Sigmund and Hjordis, who was the daughter of Eylimi. He was the half-brother of Sinfjotli, Helgi and Hamund. Note that in the Thiðrekssaga (Norwegian saga), Sigurd's mother was Sisibe, daughter of Nidung...

August 27th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Sigmund

Sigmund

Sigmund was the son of Volsung and Ljod (Hljod). He was brother of Signy (his twin), and nine other brothers; no names were ever given for Sigmund's brothers. Sigmund was the only person who could draw out the magic sword Gram (Balmung) from the g...

August 27th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Sigurd and the Guikings

Sigurd and the Guikings

Sigurd, like his father (Sigmund) and grandfather Volsung, grew at a rapid pace, both in size and in strength. His stepfather (Alf) gave permission to Sigurd to select any horse he wished from his stable. Sigurd met an old man with one eye (Odin i...

August 10th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Hogni

Hogni

A Giuking. Hogni of Troja was the son of Giuki and Grimhild. He was the brother of Gunnar, Guttorm and Gudrun. But in the Thiðrekssaga, Högni of Troja was the son of an incubus and the queen, so he was only a half-brother of Gunnar, Gernoz, Gisler...

August 27th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Jormunrek

Jormunrek

King of the Goths. In the Icelandic legend, Jormunrek was the aged king who fell love with the beauty of Svanhild (Svanhild), daughter of Sigurd and Gudrun. Gudrun reluctantly agreed to the marriage. Before the wedding, Randver, Jormunrek's son, a...

August 27th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Heimir

Heimir

In the epic Thiðrekssaga, a long-time friend of Thiðrek. Heimir was the son of Studas. Heimir's real name was also Studas like his father, but he adopted a new name. At the age of twelve, he named himself after the great dragon Heimir. His father ...

January 1st, 2001 • Jimmy Joe
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