The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs E-Book

William Morris

• Herausgeber: William Morris
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Poet, artist, and socialist, born at Walthamstow, and educated at Marlborough School and Oxford. After being articled as an architect he was for some years a painter, and then joined in founding the manufacturing and decorating firm of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co., in which Rossetti, Burne–Jones, and other artists were partners. By this and other means he did much to influence the public taste in furnishing and decoration. He was one of the originators of the Oxford and Cambridge Magazine, to which he contributed poems, tales, and essays, and in 1858 he published Defence of Guenevere and other Poems. The Life and Death of Jason followed in 1867, The Earthly Paradise in 1868–70, and Love is Enough in 1875. In the last mentioned year he made a translation in verse of Virgil’s Æneid. Travels in Iceland led to the writing of Three Northern Love Stories, and the epic of Sigurd the Volsung [1876]. His translation of the Odyssey in verse appeared 1887. A series of prose romances began with The House of the Wolfings [1889], and included The Roots of the Mountains, Story of the Glittering Plain, The Wood beyond the World, The Well at the World’s End [1896], and posthumously The Water of the Wondrous Isles, and Story of the Sundering Flood. In addition to poems and tales Morris produced various illuminated manuscripts, including two of Fitzgerald’s Omar Khayyam, and many controversial writings, among which are tales and tracts in advocacy of Socialism. To this class belong the Dream of John Ball [1888], and News from Nowhere [1891].In 1890 Morris started the Kelmscott Press, for which he designed type and decorations. For his subjects as a writer he drew upon classic and Gothic models alike. He may perhaps be regarded as the chief of the modern romantic school, inspired by the love of beauty for its own sake; his poetry is rich and musical, and he has a power of description which makes his pictures live and glow, but his narratives sometimes suffer from length and slowness of movement.

Leseprobe

The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs

By

William Morris

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Book I. Sigmund.

In this book is told of the earlier days of the Volsungs, and of Sigmund the father of Sigurd, and of his deeds, and of how he died while Sigurd was yet unborn in his mother’s womb.

Of the dwelling of King Volsung, and the wedding of Signy his daughter.

How the Volsungs fared to the Land of the Goths, and of the fall of King Volsung.

Of the ending of all Volsung’s Sons save Sigmund only, and of how he abideth in the wild wood.

Of the birth and fostering of Sinfiotli, Signy’s Son.

Of the slaying of Siggeir the Goth-king.

How Sigmund cometh to the Land of the Volsungs again, and of the death of Sinfiotli his Son.

Of the last battle of King Sigmund, and the death of him.

How King Sigmund the Volsung was laid in mound on the sea-side of the Isle-realm.

How Queen Hiordis is known; and how she abideth in the house of Elf the son of the Helper.

Book II. Regin.

Now this is the first book of the life and death of Sigurd the Volsung, and therein is told of the birth of him, and of his dealings with Regin the master of masters, and of his deeds in the waste places of the Earth.

Of the birth of Sigurd the son of Sigmund.

Sigurd getteth to him the horse that is called Greyfell.

Regin telleth Sigurd of his kindred, and of the Gold that was accursed from ancient days.

Of the forging of the Sword that is called The Wrath of Sigurd.

Of Gripir’s Foretelling.

Sigurd rideth to the Glittering Heath.

Sigurd slayeth Fafnir the Serpent.

Sigurd slayeth Regin the Master of Masters on the Glittering Heath.

How Sigurd took to him the Treasure of the Elf Andvari.

How Sigurd awoke Brynhild upon Hindfell.

Book III. Brynhild.

In this book is told of the deeds of Sigurd, and of his sojourn with the Niblungs, and in the end of how he died.

Of the Dream of Gudrun the Daughter of Giuki.

How the folk of Lymdale met Sigurd the Volsung in the woodland.

How Sigurd met Brynhild in Lymdale.

Of Sigurd’s riding to the Niblungs.

Of Sigurd’s warfaring in the company of the Niblungs, and of his great fame and glory.

Of the Cup of evil drink that Grimhild the Wise-wife gave to Sigurd.

Of the Wedding of Sigurd the Volsung.

Sigurd rideth with the Niblungs, and wooeth Brynhild for King Gunnar.

How Brynhild was wedded to Gunnar the Niblung.

Of the Contention betwixt the Queens.

Gunnar talketh with Brynhild.

Of the exceeding great grief and mourning of Brynhild.

Of the slaying of Sigurd the Volsung.

Of the mighty Grief of Gudrun over Sigurd dead.

Of the passing away of Brynhild.

Book IV. Gudrun.

Herein is told of the days of the Niblungs after they slew Sigurd, and of their woeful need and fall in the house of King Atli.

King Atli wooeth and weddeth Gudrun

Atli biddeth the Niblungs to him.

How the Niblungs fare to the Land of King Atli.

Atli speaketh with the Niblungs.

Of the Battle in Atli’s Hall

Of the Slaying of the Niblung Kings.

The Ending of Gudrun.

Book I.

Sigmund.

In this book is told of the earlier days of the Volsungs, and of Sigmund the father of Sigurd, and of his deeds, and of how he died while Sigurd was yet unborn in his mother’s womb.

Of the dwelling of King Volsung, and the wedding of Signy his daughter.

There was a dwelling of Kings ere the world was waxen old; Dukes were the door-wards there, and the roofs were thatched with gold; Earls were the wrights that wrought it, and silver nailed its doors; Earls’ wives were the weaving-women, queens’ daughters strewed its floors, And the masters of its song-craft were the mightiest men that cast The sails of the storm of battle adown the bickering blast.

There dwelt men merry-hearted, and in hope exceeding great Met the good days and the evil as they went the way of fate: There the Gods were unforgotten, yea whiles they walked with men.

Though e’en in that world’s beginning rose a murmur now and again Of the midward time and the fading and the last of the latter days, And the entering in of the terror, and the death of the People’s Praise.

Thus was the dwelling of Volsung, the King of the Midworld’s Mark, As a rose in the winter season, a candle in the dark; And as in all other matters ’twas all earthly houses’ crown, And the least of its wall-hung shields was a battle-world’s renown, So therein withal was a marvel and a glorious thing to see, For amidst of its midmost hall-floor sprang up a mighty tree, That reared its blessings roofward, and wreathed the roof-tree dear With the glory of the summer and the garland of the year.

I know not how they called it ere Volsung changed his life, But his dawning of fair promise, and his noontide of the strife, His eve of the battle-reaping and the garnering of his fame, Have bred us many a story and named us many a name;

And when men tell of Volsung, they call that war-duke’s tree, That crownèd stem, the Branstock; and so was it told unto me.

So there was the throne of Volsung beneath its blossoming bower.

But high o’er the roof-crest red it rose ’twixt tower and tower, And therein were the wild hawks dwelling, abiding the dole of their lord; And they wailed high over the wine, and laughed to the waking sword.

Still were its boughs but for them, when lo on an even of May Comes a man from Siggeir the King with a word for his mouth to say: “All hail to thee King Volsung, from the King of the Goths I come: He hath heard of thy sword victorious and thine abundant home; He hath heard of thy sons in the battle, the fillers of Odin’s Hall; And a word hath the west-wind blown him, (full fruitful be its fall!) A word of thy daughter Signy the crown of womanhood: Now he deems thy friendship goodly, and thine help in the battle good, And for these will he give his friendship and his battle-aid again: But if thou wouldst grant his asking, and make his heart full fain, Then shalt thou give him a matter, saith he, without a price, — Signy the fairer than fair, Signy the wiser than wise.”