Sigrdrífa

"Victory-urger." An epithet of the valkyrie Brynhildr, found in the eddic poem Sigrdrífumál. Two kings fought in battle, one of whom was Hjálmgunnar; he was an old man but a mighty warrior and a favorite of Odin, who had promised him victory. The other was Agnarr Auðabróðir, whom no deity would patronize. Sigrdrífa slew Hjálmgunnar and in consequence was stripped of her status as a valkyrie. Odin struck her with a sleep-thorn and said that she would never thereafter win victory in battle, but that she should be wedded. She in turn said that she would never marry a man who knew the meaning of fear. She was awakened from her slumber by the hero Sigurðr.

In the preceding poem Fáfnismál she is not named, but simply referred to as the battle-maid who was smitten with sleep by Yggr. In the short eddic poem Helreið Brynhildar, Brynhildr identifies herself as Agnarr's champion. The Völsunga Saga transfers the entire account to Brynhildr.

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