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Hjaðningavíg (the 'battle of the Heodenings'Malone, Kemp. "An Anglo-Latin Version of the Hjadningavig". ''Speculum'', Vol. 39, No. 1 (Jan., 1964), pp. 35-44.
/ref>), the ''legend of Heðinn and Hǫgni'' or the ''Saga of Hild'' is a
Germanic heroic legend Germanic heroic legend () is the heroic literary tradition of the Germanic peoples, Germanic-speaking peoples, most of which originates or is set in the Migration Period (4th-6th centuries AD). Stories from this time period, to which others were ...
about a never-ending battle which is documented in ''
Sörla þáttr ''Sörla þáttr eða Heðins saga ok Högna'' is a short narrative from the extended version ''Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar en mesta'' found in the ''Flateyjarbók'' manuscript,Lindow (2002:280-281). which was written and compiled by two Christia ...
'', ''
Ragnarsdrápa Ragnarsdrápa (Old Norse: ‘Drápa about Ragnarr’)Clunies Ross, p. 27. https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1130&v=intro. is a skaldic poem attributed to the oldest known skald, Bragi inn gamli (‘the old’) Boddason, who lived in the 9th cent ...
'', ''
Gesta Danorum ("Deeds of the Danes") is a patriotic work of Danish history, by the 12th-century author Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Literate", literally "the Grammarian"). It is the most ambitious literary undertaking of medieval Denmark and is an essentia ...
'', ''
Skíðaríma ''Skíðaríma'' () is a humorous Icelandic ríma, of unknown authorship, dated to around 1450–1500. Summary The hero is the audacious and inventive beggar Skíði, who was apparently a historic figure from the 12th century. It was also a real ...
'' and in ''
Skáldskaparmál ''Skáldskaparmál'' (Old Norse: 'Poetic Diction' or 'The Language of Poetry'; ; ) is the second part of the ''Prose Edda'', compiled by Snorri Sturluson. It consists of a dialogue between Ægir, the divine personification of the sea, and Bra ...
''. It is also held to appear on the image stone at Stora Hammar on
Gotland Gotland (; ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a Provinces of Sweden, province/Counties of Sweden, county (Swedish län), Municipalities of Sweden, municipality, a ...
(see illustration). Moreover, it is alluded to in the
Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...
poems ''
Deor "Deor" (or "The Lament of Deor") is an Old English poem found on folio 100r–100v of the late- 10th-century collection the Exeter Book. The poem consists of a reflection on misfortune by a poet whom the poem is usually thought to name Deor. The ...
'' and ''
Widsið "Widsith" (, "far-traveller", lit. "wide-journey"), also known as "The Traveller's Song", is an Old English poem of 143 lines. It survives only in the ''Exeter Book'' (''pages 84v–87r''), a manuscript of Old English poetry compiled in the lat ...
'', and in the Old Norse '' Háttalykill inn forni'', and a version of it survived down to the 18th century in the traditional
Norn language Norn is an extinct North Germanic languages, North Germanic language that was spoken in the Northern Isles (Orkney and Shetland) off the north coast of mainland Scotland and in Caithness in the far north of the Scottish mainland. After Orkney and ...
ballad "
Hildina "Hildina" is a traditional ballad thought to have been composed in Orkney in the 17th century, The Language of The Ballad of Hildina (2006–2014) but collected on the island of Foula in Shetland in 1774, and first published in 1805. It tells a ...
". An altered version of the saga is found in the
Middle High German Middle High German (MHG; or ; , shortened as ''Mhdt.'' or ''Mhd.'') is the term for the form of High German, High German language, German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High ...
poem ''
Kudrun ''Kudrun'' (sometimes known as the ''Gudrunlied'' or ''Gudrun''), is an anonymous Middle High German Germanic heroic legend, heroic epic. The poem was likely composed in either Austria or Bavaria around 1250. It tells the story of three generatio ...
'', as a prologue to the story of Kudrun herself. Yet another version is found in the Old
Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
'' Dukus Horant''. Like the names ''Heðinn'' ( O.E. ''Heoden'') and '' Hǫgni'' (O.E. ''Hagena''), the legend is believed to have continental Germanic origins.Peterson, Lena. (2002). ''Nordiskt runnamnslexikon'', at ''Institutet för språk och folkminnen'', Sweden.


''Edda'' and ''Ragnarsdrápa''

In the ''
Skáldskaparmál ''Skáldskaparmál'' (Old Norse: 'Poetic Diction' or 'The Language of Poetry'; ; ) is the second part of the ''Prose Edda'', compiled by Snorri Sturluson. It consists of a dialogue between Ægir, the divine personification of the sea, and Bra ...
'' and in ''
Ragnarsdrápa Ragnarsdrápa (Old Norse: ‘Drápa about Ragnarr’)Clunies Ross, p. 27. https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1130&v=intro. is a skaldic poem attributed to the oldest known skald, Bragi inn gamli (‘the old’) Boddason, who lived in the 9th cent ...
'', it is related that once when Hǫgni was away, his daughter
Hildr In Norse mythology, Hildr (Old Norse "battle"Orchard (1997:192).) is a valkyrie. Hildr is attested in the ''Prose Edda'' as Högni's daughter and Hedin's wife in the ''Hjaðningavíg''. She had the power to revive the dead in battlefields and u ...
was kidnapped by a prince named Heðinn, the son of Hjarrandi (O.E. Heorrenda). When Hǫgni came back, he immediately started to search for her. In the older poem ''Ragnarsdrápa'', Hǫgni finally found her and the island where Heðinn waited with his army. This island is explained as the island of
Hoy Hoy may refer to: People Given name * Hoy Menear (died 2023), American politician * Hoy Phallin (born 1995), Cambodian footballer * Hoy Wong (1920–2009), American bartender Surname * Hoy (surname), a Scottish and Irish surname * H� ...
in
Orkney Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...
by
Snorri Sturluson Snorri Sturluson ( ; ; 1179 – 22 September 1241) was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was elected twice as lawspeaker of the Icelandic parliament, the Althing. He is commonly thought to have authored or compiled portions of th ...
in ''Skáldskaparmál''. Hildr welcomed her father and offered him peace and a necklace on behalf of Heðinn. However, Hǫgni had already unsheathed his sword
Dáinsleif Dáinsleif (" Dáinn's Heirloom") is king Högni's sword, according to Snorri Sturluson's account of the battle known as the Hjaðningavíg. When Heðinn offers him compensation for the abduction of his daughter, Högni replies: In popular c ...
, which gave wounds that never healed and like
Tyrfing Tyrfing, also rendered as Tirfing or Tyrving, was a magic sword in Norse mythology, which features in the Tyrfing Cycle, which includes a poem from the ''Poetic Edda'' called '' Hervararkviða'', and the Hervarar saga. The name is also used ...
always killed a man once it had been unsheathed. A battle ensued and they fought all day and many died. In the evening Heðinn and Hǫgni returned to their camps, but Hildr stayed on the battle-field. She resurrected them with incantations and the fallen soldiers started to fight anew, and this went on until
Ragnarök In Norse mythology, (also Ragnarok; or ; ) is a foretold series of impending events, including a great battle in which numerous great Norse mythological figures will perish (including the Æsir, gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdall, a ...
.


''Sörla þáttr''

Sörla þáttr is a short story in Flateyjarbok, a collection of tales about Norwegian
king King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
s written by two
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
priests A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, ...
in the 15th century, owned by a family from Flatey island. Sörla þáttr is about King
Olaf I of Norway Olaf Tryggvason (960s – 9 September 1000) was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken ( Vingulmark, and Rånrike), and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King o ...
(Olaf Tryggvason), who was the first to encourage
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
in
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
and
Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
. The story borrowed parts of ''
Heimskringla () is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland. While authorship of ''Heimskringla'' is nowhere attributed, some scholars assume it is written by the Icelandic poet and historian Snorri Sturluson (117 ...
'', parts of the poem ''
Lokasenna ''Lokasenna'' (Old Norse: 'The Flyting of Loki', or 'Loki's Verbal Duel') is one of the poems of the ''Poetic Edda''. The poem presents flyting between the gods and Loki. It is written in the ljóðaháttr metre, typical for wisdom verse. ''L ...
'' (of
Gefjon In Norse mythology, Gefjon (Old Norse: ; alternatively spelled Gefion, or Gefjun , pronounced without secondary syllable stress) is a goddess associated with ploughing, the Danish island of Zealand, the legendary Swedish king Gylfi, the legend ...
sleeping with a boy for a necklace), parts of the ''
Húsdrápa ''Húsdrápa'' (Old Norse: 'House-Lay') is a skaldic poem partially preserved in the Prose Edda where disjoint stanzas of it are quoted. It is attributed to the skald Úlfr Uggason. The poem describes mythological scenes carved on kitchen panels ...
'' poem (of
Loki Loki is a Æsir, god in Norse mythology. He is the son of Fárbauti (a jötunn) and Laufey (mythology), Laufey (a goddess), and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. Loki is married to the goddess Sigyn and they have two sons, Narfi (son of Lo ...
stealing Brisingamen), and the eternal battle ''Hjaðningavíg''. In the end of the story, the arrival of
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
dissolves the old curse that traditionally was to endure until
Ragnarök In Norse mythology, (also Ragnarok; or ; ) is a foretold series of impending events, including a great battle in which numerous great Norse mythological figures will perish (including the Æsir, gods Odin, Thor, Týr, Freyr, Heimdall, a ...
.


''Skíðaríma''

In ''
Skíðaríma ''Skíðaríma'' () is a humorous Icelandic ríma, of unknown authorship, dated to around 1450–1500. Summary The hero is the audacious and inventive beggar Skíði, who was apparently a historic figure from the 12th century. It was also a real ...
'', the war threatens to destroy
Valhalla In Norse mythology, Valhalla ( , ; , )Orchard (1997:171–172) is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. There were five possible realms the soul could travel to after death. The first was Fólkvang ...
itself, and so
Odin Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
sends
Thor Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...
to fetch Skíði, a pathetic beggar, so that he can stop the war. Skíði manages to stop the fight by asking to marry Hildr and she consents.


''Gesta Danorum''

Saxo Grammaticus Saxo Grammaticus (), also known as Saxo cognomine Longus, was a Danish historian, theologian and author. He is thought to have been a clerk or secretary to Absalon, Archbishop of Lund, the main advisor to Valdemar I of Denmark. He is the author ...
relates that Hithinus was the prince of a Norwegian tribe and a small man. Hithinus fell in love with Hilda, the daughter of Höginus, a strongly built Jutish chieftain. Hithinus and Hilda had in fact been so impressed with each other's reputation that they had fallen in love before meeting. In spring, Hithinus and Höginus went pillaging together, and Höginus betrothed his daughter to Hithinus promising each other that they would avenge one another if anything happened. However, evil tongues spread the rumour that Hithinus had touched Hilda before the betrothal. Höginus believed the false rumour and attacked Hithinus, but Höginus was beaten and returned to Jutland. King Frotho of Denmark tried to mediate, but had to decide that the matter be settled in a
holmgang Holmgang (, , Danish language, Danish and , ) is a duel practiced by early medieval Scandinavians. It was a legally recognized way to settle disputes. The name ''holmgang'' (literally "holm-going") may derive from the combatants' dueling on a sm ...
. During the combat Hithinus was seriously wounded, and started losing blood. Höginus decided to have mercy on Hithinus, because among the old Scandinavians it was considered shameful to kill someone who was weaker, and so Hithinus was taken home by his men. After seven years, the two men started to fight again but both died from their wounds. But, Hilda loved both so much, so that she used spells to conjure up the dead each night, and so the battle went on and on.


''Deor''

The battle is alluded to in the Old English 10th century poem ''
Deor "Deor" (or "The Lament of Deor") is an Old English poem found on folio 100r–100v of the late- 10th-century collection the Exeter Book. The poem consists of a reflection on misfortune by a poet whom the poem is usually thought to name Deor. The ...
''. The poet explains that he served the Heodenings (people of Heðinn) until Heorrenda a more skilled poet replaced him: The Heodenings and Heorrenda are probably mentioned in ''Deor'' to add a level of irony or humour. Being eternal, the tragedy of the Heodenings would not "go by".


Notes and references


Sources


Online publication of Gesta Danorum
*Henrikson, Alf: ''Stora mytologiska uppslagsboken''.
A translation of Sörla þáttr in EnglishA translation of the legend from Skáldskaparmál
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hjadningavig Fictional battles Events in Norse mythology Heroes in Norse myths and legends