Tyrfing
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- For other uses see Tyrfing (disambiguation)
Tyrfing or Tirfing was a magic sword which figures in a poem from the Elder Edda called The Waking of Angantýr, and in Hervarar saga. The name is also used in the saga to denote the Goths and the form Tervingi was actually recorded by Roman sources in the 4th century.
Svafrlami was the king of Gardariki, and Odin's grandson. He managed to trap the Dwarves Dvalin and Durin when they had left the rock where they dwelt. Then he forced them to forge a sword with a golden hilt that would never miss a stroke, would never rust and would cut through stone and iron as easily as through clothes.
The Dwarves made the sword, and it shone and gleamed like fire. However, in revenge they cursed it so that it would kill a man every time it was used and that it would be the cause of three great evils. They finally cursed it so that it would also kill Svafrlami himself.
When Svafrlami heard the curses he tried to slay Dvalin, but the Dwarf disappeared into the rock and the sword was driven deep into the rock missing its victim.
Svafrlami was killed by the beserker Arngrim who took the sword in his turn. After Arngrim, it was worn by Angantyr and his eleven brothers. They were all slain at Samsų, by the Swedish champion Hjalmar, and his Norwegian sworn brother Orvar-Odd; but Hjalmar, being wounded by Tyrfing, has only time to sing his death-song before he dies, and asks Orvar-Odd to bring his body to Ingeborg at Uppsala.
Angantyr's daughter, Hervor (by his wife Tofa) is brought up as a bond-maid, in ignorance of her parentage. When at last she learns it, she arms herself as an shieldmaiden, and goes to Munarvoe in Samsų, in quest of the dwarf-cursed weapon.
In Richard Wagner's opera, King Alberich gave it to Odin.