A summary of the Thidrekssaga, part 3

On this page, I will give an extended summary of Thidrekssaga chapters 134-170.

12: Wildeber and Isung (Ths. 134-145)

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ing Attila offers peace to king Osantrix, but Osantrix refuses, thus forcing Attila to wage war against him. He asks Dietrich and his heroes to help him. Dietrich comes and together they loot Osantrix' realm.

Osantrix gathers his army and starts looting Attila's lands. After a while it comes to a fight. Widolf with the Pole, still in Osantrix' service, is loosed from his fetters and mightily wields his pole. One of his victims is Witig, who falls from his horse. Heime, on seeing this, immediately steals Mimung. Witig is captured.

• The saga makes it appear that Attila wins this battle, but from the context it is clear he has in fact lost it. I think this part has been composed to serve as propaganda for Attila.

Attila and Dietrich return to Soest. Dietrich goes back to Bern, but Wildeber stays behind because he wants to rescue Witig. He goes out to hunt, captures a bear, skins it and hides the hide carefully.

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hen Isung, the Hauptspielmann comes to Attila's court, sent by Dietrich to gather information on Witig, since bards are welcome at any court, while common travelers are treated with distrust. Wildeber asks for his help. Together they set out for Osantrix' capital.

When outside Soest, Wildeber shows the bear-skin to Isung, who has a brilliant idea: Wildeber shall disguise himself as a bear! Wildeber agrees and Isung is able to smuggle him into Osantrix' capital.

The bear dances, delighting everyone. Then Osantrix has an idea: he wants the bear to fight against his hounds. Isung professes not to like the idea: should his bear win, then Osantrix' warriors may attack it! Osantrix promises no man shall attack the bear. In addition, the warriors shall be unarmed. Isung agrees.

The next day, Osantrix and his warriors gather at a field just outside the city. Widolf with the Pole is brought there too, as usually constrained by his fetters. The fight begins. The hounds rush at the bear, but the bear takes one dog and uses it to hit the others. Seeing this not very bear-like behaviour, Osantrix draws his sword and tries to kill the bear. Wildeber, however, wears armour beneath the skin and escapes unharmed. He grabs the sword and kills quite a lot of warriors, including Widolf with the Pole and his brother Aventrod.

13: Witig and Heime, part 2 (Ths. 146-151)

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hen returning to Bern, Witig is downcast because he has lost Mimung. Dietrich informs him Heime carries Mimung nowadays. Witig hotly demands his sword back, but Heime refuses.

Then Ermenrik asks Dietrich's help against jarl Rimstein of Gerimsheim, who has refused to pay tribute. Dietrich comes and they invest Gerimsheim. Heime agrees to lend Mimung to Witig for the duration of the campaign.

One night, Rimstein himself goes scouting outside his fort and dies from accidentaly meeting Witig. In Dietrich's tent, Witig proudly recounts his latest deed of glory, only to be belittled by Heime. A fight threatens. Then Dietrich chooses Witig's side and forces Heime to confess having stolen Mimung. Witig retains the sword.

Gerimsheim is plundered and peace restored. Walther, nephew to Ermenrik and cousin to Dietrich, becomes jarl of Gerimsheim.

• Surprisingly, we hear no more of the feud between Heime and Witig.

• Now, the saga leaves Dietrich and gives an account of Siegfried's youth.

14: Siegfried's youth (Ths. 152-168)

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ing Sigmund marries Sisibe and leaves her pregnant when going on campaign. He leaves his counts Hermann and Hartwin to watch over wife and realm.

Both counts try to seduce Sisibe, but she indignantly refuses. To prevent Sigmund from ever hearing about this seduction, they send him a message that she has been unfaithful to him. Sigmund sends back a message to repudiate her. The counts leave her in the middle of the forest. There she gives birth to Siegfried and dies.

Siegfried is suckled by a hind and, precocious as he is, finds his way to the dwelling of Mime the smith, who takes him in. When Siegfried grows up, he tries to do something useful, but his first attempt at forging a sword only succeeds in destroying hammer, anvil and a quantity of good iron. In addition, Siegfried habitually beats up Mime's other pupils.

Mime decides to get rid of Siegfried and orders him to gather a lot of charcoal. Then he sends a message to his brother, Regin, the feared robber. Could Regin be so kind as to kill this nuisance?

Siegfried burns charcoal and eats all his rations, which were originally meant for nine days. Then Regin assumes the aspect of a dragon and tries to frighten Siegfried. Siegfried, however, takes a big stick and smashes the dragon's head. Afterwards, feeling slightly peckish, he eats it.

15: The Nibelungen (Ths. 169-170)

The saga now gives two accounts of the Nibelungen. They are essentialy the same, but for some names.

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ing Aldrian (170: Irung) conquers some land and marries the local princess. One night when he is off, she lies in the garden, when an elf comes to her and lies with her. A baby is born: Hagen. As a child, Hagen is not very loved by his play-fellows and when he is four years old his mother tells him who his father is. This conversation is overheard by a girl, who later becomes a concubine of Dietrich.

There are more children: Grimhild, Gunther, Gernot and Giselher. These form the clan of the Nibelungen. Gunther succeeds Aldrian as king.

Dietrich von Bern invites Hagen and Gunther to his court to attend a lavish banquet.