Völsungasaga
William Morris and Anonymoustranslated Bywilliam Morris
Read by Corpang
The 13th century Icelandic Völsungasaga is usually read by people studying the Poetic Edda or Wagner's Ring - which obscures the fact it is a much better story than practically everything derived from it. A riddle-telling dragon, a broken sword, a hooded mysterious wanderer - cannibalism, incest, mutilation, and sensitive hearts. This is R-rated Tolkien - and the unashamedly archaic Magnússon-Morris translation is up for the adventure.
Passages spoken in Old Norse are taken from the edition of Sophus Bugge, Berlin, 1891.
(Summary by Corpang)
(4 hr 3 min)
Chapters
Chapters I - V | 19:08 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters VI - VIII | 18:02 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters IX - XI | 17:20 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters XII - XV | 21:21 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters XVI - XIX | 25:36 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters XX - XXIV | 23:26 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters XXV - XXVII | 22:17 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters XXVIII - XXIX | 20:46 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters XXX - XXXII | 22:55 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters XXXIII - XXXV | 17:14 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters XXXVI - XXXVIII | 15:04 | Read by Corpang |
Chapters XXXIX - XLIII | 20:39 | Read by Corpang |
Reviews
A LibriVox Listener
The best public domain translation---read in a way that makes the archaisms less ponderous. I have TAed a class on Norse/Icelandic/Viking myth, and I affirm this is a mostly accurate translation of one of the three most important texts of viking myth. The two eddas (older/poetic edda and younger/prose edda) are the other two important texts--both are on librivox.
great performance
Patrick
this is an excellent performance of morris's text. the text itself is fine and seems a fair translation of the source. the style of the English is much in keeping with some key characteristics of Old English poetry kand therefore I presume, Old Norse and Icelandic (namely the use consonance and assonance and kennings, especially in the poetic sections). highly recommended!
Marcus Benecke
Thw reader sustained a commendable consistency, and tried to add colour in the voices in more dramatic episodes. A 'straight' reading would have been just as good though, I think.
Beautifully done
Kia'i Kealohalani
I really enjoyed the readers treatment of a beloved story. The characters come alive and run off the page in this reading.
excellent
katamorrow
A very solid reading brings the saga to life. The saga itself is a bloodbath from start to finish.
Praises to the narrator, he really gave his best!
Ciliban
dont get attached to anyone.......the best saga read well
Ed walmsley
excellent
Bruce G
Exciting and very well read! Thank you!