Key Info

- A Norse hero who, along with his beloved Valkyrie, continues to be reincarnated so that they can remain together

Brief Bio

After having won fame in battle, Helgi went to king Eylimi and asked the king for his daughter's hand. King Eylimi consented and so Helgi and Sváfa exchanged their vows. Although they were married, she remained with her father while Helgi was out doing battle.

Before passing away, Helgi asked Sváfa to marry his brother Heðinn. The brother asked Sváfa to kiss him, because she would not see him again before Helgi had been avenged. Both Helgi and Sváfa would be reborn as Helgi Hundingsbane and Sigrún and so their adventures continued.

Helgi appears to be the son of Sigmund and Borghild, and only fifteen years old he avenges his father by slaying Hunding, the king of the Saxons. This gives him the cognomen Hunding's bane. He continues with his warlike feats and one day, as he stands aboard his longship, he is visited by a valkyrie named Sigrún, who can ride through the air and over the sea and who knows well about his feats. She embraces him and kisses him, and he immediately falls in love with her.

It is said in the end section of Helgakviða Hundingsbana II, a poem of the Poetic Edda, that the hero Helgi Hundingsbane and his lover Sigrún were reincarnated as Helgi Haddingjaskati and the valkyrie Kára, Halfdan's daughter, who were the protagonists of the Káruljóð.[2]

Káruljóð is lost, but a part of the adventures of Helgi and Kára are held to survive in the legendary saga Hrómundar saga Gripssonar.[3][4] In this legend, Helgi Haddingjaskati is the champion of two Swedish kings named Haldingr. Helgi fights against the protagonist of the saga, who is named Hrómundr, but Helgi is aided in the battle by his lover Kára's magic. During the battle, she is in the shape of a swan, but by mistake Helgi hurts the swan with his sword and is no longer protected by her magic. He is then killed by Hrómundr.