Editing Borghild

{{Short description|Female figure of Norse myth}}
{{For|the name|Borghild (name)}}

In [[Norse mythology]], '''Borghild''' was the first wife of [[Sigmund]]. They had two sons, Hamund and Helgi.

== ''Völsunga saga'' ==
[[Sinfjötli]] (Borghild's step-son) "saw a lovely woman and strongly desired to have her.  The brother of Borghild, the wife of King Sigmund, had also asked for her hand.".<ref>Saga of the Volsungs "The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer" with introduction and translation by Jesse Byock</ref>  Sinfjötli killed the brother in a contest to win the maiden's hand, and Sinfjötli won.  He became very famous.  When he came home, he told his father [[Sigmund]] what had happened.  Sigmund then told Borghild, and Borghild wanted Sinfjötli to leave the kingdom for killing her brother.  Sigmund defended Sinfjötli, but offered to pay Borghild compensation.  This was a generous offer, similar to Hrafnkel's offer to Thorbjorn for the death of Einar in ''[[Hrafnkels saga]]''.  Borghild, however, was not placated by this and said "You shall decide, sir, as is fitting.".<ref>Saga of the Volsungs "The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer" with introduction and translation by Jesse Byock</ref>

[[File:Kbh Mus Trinkhorn Isl 2.jpg|thumb|alt=Drinking horn|Drinking horn]]
[[File:Valkyrie (1834-1835) by H. W. Bissen.jpg|thumb|alt=Valkyrie by H. W. Bissen|Valkyrie by H. W. Bissen]]
Borghild then arranged a funeral feast for her brother, and she served the drink.

Serving the drink was characteristic of the [[shieldmaiden]] in the stories about [[Valhalla]].<ref>[[Drinking horn]]</ref> She tells Sinfjötli to drink, but he says it is poisoned, and Sigmund takes it instead.  Borghild makes fun of Sinfjötli saying, "Why should other men drink ale for you?".<ref>Saga of the Volsungs "The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer" with introduction and translation by Jesse Byock</ref>  She then orders him to drink a second time, but Sinfjötli won't and Sigmund drinks it again.  Borghild dares him a third time, saying that he should "drain it, if he had the heart of a Volsung.".<ref>Saga of the Volsungs "The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer" with introduction and translation by Jesse Byock</ref> Sigmund is drunk at this point and isn't thinking clearly, so he also bids Sinfjötli to drink.  Sinfjötli drank it and died.  Sigmund was furious that his wife killed his son, so he drove Borghild out of the kingdom. Borghild died shortly after that.

[[File:Sif from Swedish Edda translation.jpg|thumb|alt=Swedish goddess holding drinking horn|Swedish goddess holding drinking horn]]
Borghild's poison worked on Sinfjötli and not Sigmund because of the Volsung blood.  According to legend, the Volsung family descended from Odin,<ref>Saga of the Volsungs "The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer" with introduction and translation by Jesse Byock</ref> and were therefore part god.  Sigmund had more god-like blood in him than Sinfjötli, so Sigmund could withstand the poison, and Sinfjötli could not.

==See also==
*[[Völsunga saga]]
*[[Viking]]
*[[Saga]]
*[[Sigurd]]
*[[Sinfjötli]]
*[[Sigmund]]

==References==
 <references/>
*Saga of the Volsungs "The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer" with introduction and translation by Jesse Byock

{{Norse mythology}}

[[Category:People in Norse mythology]]
[[Category:Völsung cycle]]
[[Category:Women in mythology]]