Wayland the Smith; Vengeance and Myth
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Wayland the Smith is a legendary figure from early Germanic and Norse mythology. He was known for his incredible smithing skills and, later, for his dark revenge. The tale of Wayland the Smith dates back at least a thousand years, maybe even two thousand years or older, and has roots in ancient Indo-European myths. A written account of the story appears in an Old Norse narrative and is thought to have been passed down through oral traditions long before.
Let's look at the tale of Wayland the Smith and its influence on stories and literature over the millennia. We'll start with my version, an English interpretation of the Old Norse narrative.
The Dark Tale of Wayland the Smith
A long time ago, three swan maidens landed by a lake in an old, enchanted forest. Tired from flying, the three maidens, Hlathguth, Hervor, and Alvitr, took human form and rested under the moonlight.
That night, three brothers from the nearby village of Wolfdale visited the lake. For the brothers Egil, Slagfidr, and Wayland, it was love at first sight when they spotted the maidens. The three maidens took to the brothers and returned to Wolfdale with them.
The three maidens married the brothers, and the couples lived happily. The brothers were skilled smiths and created beautiful items in their forges. Stories of their craftsmanship spread far and wide for seven full winters.
In the eighth year, the maidens felt the urge to leave and disappeared. The brothers were heartbroken. Egil and Slagfidr left Wolfdale to search for their missing wives. Wayland, though, stayed behind, hoping for their return. He continued his smithing, and word of his incredible skill reached King Níðuðr. The king wanted Wayland for himself and sent a messenger to retrieve him. Wayland, waiting for the return of both his brothers and their wives, refused.
One night, King Níðuðr's men were sent to Wolfdale with orders to bring Wayland back—no matter what he said. Wayland was captured, his forge was burned, and he was taken to the king's island. King Níðuðr had Wayland hamstrung to prevent his escape, forcing him to work in the king's forge.
Filled with anger, Wayland plotted his revenge. He lured the king's two sons to his workshop with promises of treasure. Instead, Wayland killed them, made goblets from their skulls, and fashioned brooches from their teeth before hiding their corpses. He gifted these items to the king and queen, who accepted them happily, unaware of their grim origin.
Wayland tricked the king's daughter, Bǫðvildr, into coming to his workshop to fix a broken ring. He seduced her, and she became pregnant, doing her best to hide what had happened.
With his revenge complete, Wayland unfurled a pair of wings he had made and escaped by flying away. As he soared above the island, he taunted King Níðuðr, revealing what he had done to the king's sons and daughter. Níðuðr could only watch helplessly as Wayland flew away, free at last.
Age & Origin of Wayland the Smith
The legend of Wayland the Smith is thought to originate from Germanic regions of Northern Europe, including modern-day Germany, Scandinavia, and England. The areas were inhabited by Germanic tribes with shared mythologies of gods, heroes, and legendary craftsmen like Wayland the Smith.
The oldest evidence of the story is from a Frisian gold solidus from somewhere between 575 and 625 C.E.
A solidus was a gold coin used in the late Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire, introduced by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. It became a standard currency widely circulated and imitated in various regions, including early medieval Europe.
It bears the name "Wela(n)du"(Wayland the Smith) in Old Frisian. The fact that this solidus was found suggests that the legend was already well-established in the Germanic world by the early Middle Ages.
In Scandinavia, the accounts of Wayland's story are found in the Poetic Edda and Þiðreks saga. The Poetic Edda, particularly the poem Völundarkviða, narrates Wayland (Völundr) as a master blacksmith captured and maimed by King Niðhad. Wayland exacts revenge by killing the king's sons and escaping with a winged contraption he crafted.
There are variations of the myth, including one that describes Wayland and his two brothers living with three swan maidens who are actually Valkyries, named Ölrún, Hervör alvitr, and Hlaðguðr svanhvít. The Þiðreks saga from the 13th century adds more details, such as Wayland being the son of a giant named Wade and being taught to smith by dwarfs.
In England, Wayland's story was depicted on the eighth-century Franks Casket, an Anglo-Saxon artifact that illustrates scenes from the legend.
The Old English poems Deor and Waldere (sometime between the 8th and 10th centuries) reference Wayland, with Deor recounting his suffering and eventual escape and Waldere mentioning the swords he crafted. Wayland's smithing skills are even mentioned in Beowulf (8th and early 11th centuries), as he's noted as the maker of Beowulf's mail shirt. There's also a Neolithic long barrow called Wayland's Smithy in Oxfordshire, where folklore says that if you leave a horse with a silver coin overnight, Wayland will shoe it for you.
A Neolithic long barrow is an elongated burial mound from the Neolithic period, typically constructed between 4000 and 2500 BCE. These earthen or stone structures were used for communal burials and are often found in Europe. Long barrows served as tombs for multiple individuals and were sometimes covered with earth or stones, creating a long, trapezoidal shape. They reflect early agricultural communities' social and ritual practices, providing insights into their burial customs and beliefs about death and the afterlife.
The legend of Wayland the Smith is also found in Scandinavian artifacts. A famous one is the Ardre image stone VIII from Sweden, which depicts Völund's smithy. A tenth-century copper mount showcasing similar motifs was found in Uppåkra, Sweden. These different pieces, which depict the story of Wayland the Smith, show how widespread the legend was.
Influence of Wayland the Smith
I conducted a very informal poll of a single German friend to find out if she knew of Wayland the Smith. She didn't, which, of course, absolutely proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that most people today have no idea who Wayland the Smith was. I'm sure plenty of ancient myths that were famous back in the day of gold solidus are now nearly unheard of today. However, many of these ancient stories have been massively influential in literature, film, television, and all manner of stories over the millennia.
For example, J.R.R. Tolkien drew heavily from mythologies and folklore across cultures, and "The Lord of the Rings" has its own themes of exceptional craftsmanship (Elven swords, the One Ring, the Silmarils, etc.) and revenge (such as the vendettas of characters like Turin Turambar, Gollum, and Thorin Oakenshield), which mirror parts of Wayland's story.
Wayland's story also appears in historical and fantasy literature. Sir Walter Scott's novel "Kenilworth" features Wayland Smith as a character, blending myth with historical fiction. The British television series "Robin of Sherwood" portrays Wayland as a mystical blacksmith crafting magical swords crucial to the show's mythology. In the British television series "Robin of Sherwood," a mystical blacksmith named...Wayland the Smith creates the Seven Swords of Wayland, central to the plot. One could even draw parallels to any story of a cursed craftsman, which you'll even find in Marvel characters. And that's not touching on prison break stories.
Ancient tales still echo throughout our world, even if we don't realize it. The myths and legends of our ancestors are more than just stories; they are a living part of who we are.
Relevant & Related
- Read "The Lay of Volund" from the Poetic Edda, an epic poem detailing the legendary feats and dramatic escape of Wayland the Smith. You can also read the entire Poetic Edda at the Internet Sacred Text Archive.
- Wayland the Smith is a character in Sir Walter Scott's novel Kenilworth.
- Read about Wayland's Smithy in Oxfordshire, a Neolithic long barrow and chamber tomb named after the mythical Wayland the Smith.
- Read and discover the magical tales and historical adventures of England's past in Rudyard Kipling's 1906 classic, Puck of Pook's Hill, tied into Wayland's Smithy in Oxfordshire. You can also read Puck of Pook's Hill online for free at Project Gutenberg.
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