The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún first edition cover.
Editor	Christopher Tolkien
Author	J. R. R. Tolkien
Illustrator	Bill Sanderson
Cover artist	Bill Sanderson
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre	Fantasy
Publisher	HarperCollins Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date	5 May 2009
Media type	Print (hardback)
Pages	384 pp (first edition)
ISBN
OCLC	310154475
Preceded by	The Children of Húrin
Followed by	The Fall of Arthur

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún is a book containing two narrative poems and related texts composed by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and HarperCollins on 5 May 2009.

The two poems that make up most of the book were probably written during the 1930s, and were inspired by the legend of Sigurd and the fall of the Niflungs in Norse mythology. Both poems are in a form of alliterative verse inspired by the traditional verse of the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century. Christopher Tolkien has added copious notes and commentary on his father's work.

After the creation of the Nine Worlds by the Aesir, the walls of Asgard are besieged by an army of jötunns and trolls. Wielding the hammer Mjöllnir, Thor succeeds in driving these "foes immortal," back to Jotunheim. However, there are new perils to come.

A female seer prophesies the apocalyptic battle of Ragnarök and speaks of how Odin shall be slain by the wolf Fenrir and Thor by the Midgard serpent. There is but one chance for the doom of the nine worlds to be averted. If on the day of battle a mortal warrior, a slayer of serpents and descendant of Odin, fights alongside the gods, the forces of evil shall be defeated and the world shall be reborn.

In response, Odin scatters his seed among mortals in hopes of birthing, "the world's chosen". Although many great heroes soon join him in Valhalla, the serpent slayer's coming continues to be awaited.