Sveigder

Sveigder or Swegde was a Swedish king of the House of Yngling in Norse mythology.

He was the son of Fjölner and at his father's death he vowed to go to Godheim (Asgard) and visit Odin. He took his twelve hirdmen and went through the world. He came to Turkland and Great Sweden (Russia), but after five years he returned home. He got himself a wife from Vanaheim (a Vanir?) who was called Vana and they had the son Vanlande. Then Sveigder resumed his search for Odin and came to a mansion east of Sweden called Stein (see also Ingvar) which was called so because there was a stone as big as a house. After sunset, Sveigder was going to bed from having drunk with the hosts, and passing the stone he saw that a dwarf was sitting under it. Sveigder and his companion were drunk and ran for the dwarf. The dwarf called to Sveigder to come into the stone and see Odin which Sveigder did and he never came back.

By Diurnir's elfin race,

Who haunt the cliffs and shun day's face,

The valiant Swegde was deceived,

The elf's false words the king believed.

The dauntless hero rushing on,

Passed through the yawning mouth of stone:

It yawned -- it shut -- the hero fell,

In Saekmime's hall, where giants dwell.[1]

Sources

• Ynglingatal
• Ynglinga saga (part of the Heimskringla)
• Historia Norwegiae