Summary of the Thidrekssaga

After the fall of the Niflungen Attila ruled over his realm, and Aldrian, son of Hagen, grew up at his court. This was the son that Hagen had sired in the last night of his life393 with the woman king Dietrich had brought to him, a daughter of Irung the captain of knightsThis last clause appears in Von der Hagen, but not in Jónsson or Haymes. The Irung mentioned here is probably the one from 378,387. The boy was now twelve winters old, and king Attila loved him very much. Attila also had a son who was now eleven winters oldApparently he remarried quickly after Grimhild’s death, and one woman raised both boys, and Attila treated them equally in everythingAgain, this last clause is only in Von der Hagen.

One evening king Attila sat on his throne, and Aldrian stood before him with a candle, and close by was a hearth from which a small burning branch extendedor jumped out of the fire and burned through his shoes and trousers into his foot, but Aldrian didn’t notice until a knight took it away. Then Attila said: Aldrian, what were you thinking of that you didn’t remove the branch yourself?

And Aldrian said: Lord, I considered how little it means that you have white bread and nd all kinds of delicacies and the best wine on your table, when the day will come you will eat black bread and drink water. Attila replied: What do you mean? On the battlefield I was often been hungry and thirsty, but now I am old and weak, and I will not again go on campaign where I have to eat black bread and drink water.

But Aldrian was often so thoughtful, and especially about how he could avenge his father and kinsmen on AttilaAgain, this sentence is only in Von der Hagen.

One day Attila was hunting with his men, but all of his men were away from him except for Aldrian. Then Aldrian asked: How much treasure do you think Sigfrid had, the one that is called the Niflungen hoard? And Attila replied: The Niflungen hoard contains the most valuefé ever seen in one place that we know about. And Aldrian asked: And who now keeps this great wealth? And Attila replied: I don’t know, nor do I know where it is, and I think no one knows.

Then Aldrian asked: And how would you reward one who can show you the Niflungen hoard? And Attila replied: Who could do that? But I’d make that man so great in my realm that few should be equal to him. And Aldrian said: If you want to do that, then it might be I am that man.

Then the king said: It would certainly be a great fortune if you could tell me where the Niflungen hoard is. And Aldrian said: If you want that, only us two have to travel, and no third man may follow us. And the king said he’d gladly arrange that, and Aldrian said that right now they should ride home. And that they did.

A few days later king Attila wanted to ride into the forest, but he did not want to take anyone with him but Aldrian, his foster son. And this surprised his men, since Attila was an old man and could no longer ride well, and it did not seem proper that he rode out with only one man. But the king did not allow anyone but Aldrian to come with him.

Then they rode through a forest until they came to a mountain. Aldrian took the keys that led into the mountainopened the doors, presumably and opened a first door, then a second, and then a third, and he went into the mountain, and king Attila followed him. Then Aldrian told Attila that the Niflungen hoard should be here, and showed him the gold, silver, and weapons that had belonged to Sigfrid and Gunther and Hagen, and all the portanble wealth of the Niflungen was there. At one place there was the treasure of king Gunther, and at another Hagen's, and that was not less than the first. Aldrian went even deeper into the mountain, and told the king to come, and showed him Sigfrid's hoard, and it was twice as much as what they had yet seen. King Attila became happy, and saw that there was so much treasure that no king would be wealthier than he.

But Aldrian went on into the mountainback? and out of the door, and closed it behind him. And Attila called: Good friend Aldrian, come back to me. But Aldrian replied: Now you have as much gold and silver as you desire, but I have lived a long time in a way that requires little money. I will now go into the forest and delight myself. Then he closed the other door and the third, and put stones and turf over it. Now king Attila realised what the boy had done to avenge his father and the Niflungen.

Three days later Aldrian returned, and Attila had meanhwile broken open one door. He called: Good friend Aldrian, open the mountain and I’ll give you gold and silver as much as you want and make you a chiettain in my realm and pay compensation for your father and kinsmen. And I won’t hold against you what you have done here.

Aldrian replied: Attila, you coveted359,376 the Niflungen hoard when your brother in law king Gunther and his brothers were still alive. Now you have it. And hasn’t my prediction come true? The day has come that you’d eat barley bread and drink water if you had it. And king Attila replied that he’d love to eat and drink that. And Aldrian said: Well, you can get neither. Drink gold and silver, you have long thirsted for it.

Then Aldrian took stones and turf and placed so much on the doors that he knew Attila would never come out alive.

• A and B do not mention Brunhild. See Ritter’s note in Von der Hagen.

Now Aldrian rode to Niflungenland to the wealthy Brunhild, who had been married to king Gunther. He said Attila was likely dead, and Gunther and his brothers avenged and told her what happened. She congratulated him with avenging his father, and assembled her men and made the news known. Then she gave him many knights to take over his realm.

Aldrian now took the jarldomhe doesn’t become king over Niflungenland and ruled it for the rest of his life.

Thus died king Attila, and no one knows where the Niflungen hoard is hiddenHere ends the Membrame manuscript. because Aldrian was the only one and he did not touch the hoard for as long as he lived.

After Attila’s death king Dietrich von Bern took all of Hunnenland with the help of many of his friends, who had been with king Attila when Dietrich lived there. He ruled over this realm until his old age, and his chieftains never fought against him, and no one dared to attack him even when he rode alone with his weapons.