Reginsmal (literally “Regin’s Words”) is the first of a trio of poems concerned with the adventures of the young Sigurth, together with Fafnismal and Sigrdrifumal. Reginsmal begins with a fairly long prose introduction, partially narrated by Regin, about the killing of Regin’s brother Otter by the Aesir, and the demands by their father Hreithmar for a large amount of gold in payment for this crime. After telling of how Fafnir, Regin’s brother, killed his father Hreithmar for this gold and became a dragon, Regin tells of how he fled to the kingdom of Hjalprek and fostered Sigurth. Sigurth tells Regin he will avenge Hreithmar, but only after he has avenged his own father and uncle on Lyngvi and the other sons of Hunding. In the last stanza of this poem, we read that Sigurth carved the “bloody eagle” (Old Norse blothugr orn) on Lyngvi’s back. This is a reference to a form of torture in which the victim was laid out flat in a prostrate position and his ribs removed from his back one by one. “Battle-Stirrer” is Odin in disguise.
Sigurth went to Hjalprek’s remuda and chose a horse that later was named Grani. At this time Regin, son of Hreithmar, lived in Hjalprek’s kingdom. He was more skillful with his hands than any other man, and a dwarf in height. He was wise, grim, and skilled in magic. Regin fostered and educated Sigurth, and loved him well. He told Sigurth about his parents, and about the events when Odin, Loki, and Honir had come to Andvari’s Falls. This was a waterfall where an abundance of fish could be found. A dwarf named Andvari lived there for a long time, in the form of a pikefish, and fed himself there. “Otter was the name of our brother,” said Regin, “and he often went to the Falls in the form of an otter. He had caught a salmon and sat on the bank where he was eating it with his eyes closed. Loki threw a stone and killed him. The Aesir felt very lucky about this, and skinned the otter and made a bag out of the skin. That same evening they came as guests to Hreithmar’s house and showed him what they had caught. We captured them and threatened their lives if they did not fill that bag with gold, and cover it on the outside with gold as well. Then the Aesir sent Loki to acquire the gold. He came to Ran and borrowed her net, and went back to Andvari’s Falls and threw the net in front of the pikefish, and the fish jumped in. Then Loki said:
“WHAT KIND OF FISH IS THIS swimming in the water, that doesn’t know to avoid a net? Your head will stay on your body, if you can get me some gold.”
“I am named Andvari, son of Oin, I have been in many waterfalls. A cruel Norn shaped my fate at the beginning, cursed me to live in the water.”
“Tell me this, Andvari,” said Loki, “if you want go free and live in the halls of men: What should a man get in return if he lies to others?”
“They get a lot in return, all those men who will wade the traitors’ river at Ragnarok. They will suffer for a long time if they lie to others, in return for their untrue words.”
Loki saw all the gold that Andvari owned. And after he had taken all of it, Andvari still had one single ring, and Loki took that from him as well. The dwarf then hid inside a stone and said:
“This gold that Gust used to own, will cause the death of two brothers, and cause grief for eight kings. No one will enjoy my treasure.”
The Aesir gave Hreithmar the gold. They filled the otter-skin with gold and set the skin on its feet, so that they could cover it with gold from the outside. And when this was done, Hreithmar reached forward and saw one whisker that was still visible, and told the Aesir to cover it. Odin took the ring Andvaranaut and covered the whisker with it.
“The gold is delivered,” said Loki. “We’ve paid a huge price for my head. I do not foresee happiness for your son. This gold will be the death of you both.”
Hreithmar said:
“You gave gifts, but you did not give willingly, you did not give with a whole heart. I would have killed you, both of you, if I had known it beforehand.”
Loki said, “It seems to me that it will only get worse— men will fight over this gold. This gold is fated, I think, to cause hateful news for kings still unborn.”
“This gold,” said Hreithmar, “will be mine as long as I live. I’m not afraid at all of your threats. Go home.”
Fafnir and Regin asked Hreithmar for some of the treasure, in payment for the loss of their brother Otter. He denied their requests, but Fafnir killed Hreithmar with a sword while he slept. Hreithmar called out to his daughters:
“Lyngheith and Lofnheith, I am dying! But everyone is destined for some torment.”
Lyngheith answered:
“Few sisters will take vengeance
against a brother,
even for their father.”
“Have a daughter,” said Hreithmar, “a wolf-fierce girl, if you cannot have a son with a king. You’ll need to marry that girl to a man, and at last her son will avenge your sorrow.”
Then Hreithmar died, and Fafnir took all the gold. Regin asked for his share in the inheritance from their father, but Fafnir would give him nothing. Regin went to his sister Lyngheith and asked how he should secure his share of the inheritance. She said:
“Talk to your brother pleasantly about the matter, with a friendly attitude. You won’t get much from Fafnir if you try to persuade him with a sword.”
Regin told Sigurth these things. One day, when Sigurth came to Regin’s house, Regin greeted him happily. Regin said:
“Here is the son of Sigmund, a clever boy, he’s come to my hall. He has more courage than this old man; I suspect this young wolf has hope of good hunting.
“I will raise him in my house, this noble boy, make a war-brave king out of him. He’ll grow up to be the greatest king beneath the sun, the tale of his deeds will be told everywhere.”
Sigurth was always with Regin, and Regin told Sigurth about how Fafnir lay on Gnitaheith in the form of a dragon. He had a helmet of terror that instilled fear in all living things.
Regin made a sword called Gram for Sigurth. This sword was so sharp that he put its blade in the river Rhine and let a tuft of wool flow downstream onto the blade, and the wool split as if it were water. With this sword, Sigurth cut Regin’s anvil in half. After this, Regin encouraged Sigurth to kill Fafnir. Sigurth said:
“The sons of Hunding, who killed my father and my father-in-law Eylimi, would laugh out loud if I seemed to care more for golden rings than for vengeance for my father Sigmund.”
King Hjalprek outfitted Sigurth with ships and men for his mission of avenging his father. They were caught in a bad storm and delayed at a certain headland. A man stood on the rock and said:
“Who is it there riding those ships on the high waves, on the roaring sea? Those ships are sure sweating with the trouble; I doubt that they will stand up to the wind.”
Regin answered:
“Here I am, with Sigurth, on these ships, this breeze will blow us to our deaths. A high wave crashes on deck, the ships will wreck. Who is asking?”
“They called me Battle-Stirrer, when young Volsung set a table for the ravens. You can call me ‘Man on the Rock,’ or ‘Burden’ or ‘Spellcaster.’ I want a ride.”
They went to land and the man came onto the ship, and the weather immediately improved.
Sigurth said, “Tell me, Battle-Stirrer, since you know the omens of gods and humans, what is the best kind of omen when men are about to fight?”
Battle-Stirrer said:
“There are many good omens before one goes into battle, if you know how to recognize them. A man with a faithful following of black-winged ravens will fight a winning battle.
“There is a second good omen: If you are outside, out on the road, and you see two men standing in the yard, ready to make battle.
“There is a third omen: If you hear a wolf howl under the limbs of an ash, you and not your enemy will have good luck, if you see him first.
“No one should leave for battle facing the setting sun. Bold men have victories if they can see, or line up in formation.
“You are in grave danger if you stumble on your way to battle. It means that evil spirits stand on either side of you, and want to see you get hurt.
“Every man should keep himself well-kempt and clean, and eat up in the morning. You never know where you’ll be in the evening, so it’s bad to leave home hungry.”
Sigurth had a great battle against Lyngvi, son of Hunding, and his brothers. Lyngvi and his three brothers were killed. After the battle Regin said:
“Now the bloody eagle is carved with a bitter blade on the back of the killer of Sigmund. No better man than Sigurth has ever soaked the earth with blood, and set a table for the ravens.”
Sigurth went home to Hjalprek. Then Regin encouraged Sigurth to kill Fafnir.