Curse Heidrek

Then Gestumblindi said:

“Then tell me this
one last thing if you can,
if you are
of all kings the wisest:
what did Odin say
in Baldr’s ear
before he was raised on the pyre?”

King Heidrek says, “Only you know that, monster.”

And then Heidrek draws Tyrfing and slashes at him, and Odin changed into the form of a hawk and flew out through a window of the hall. But the king hacked after him and cut off his tail-feathers, and that’s why to this day the hawk has a stubby tail. But the sword fell on a retainer, who died instantly.

Odin said, “For that, King Heidrek, because you lunged at me and wanted to kill me, the lowest thralls shall be your slayers.”

After that they part.

[...]

It’s told that King Heidrek had certain thralls that he’d captured on viking trips in the west. There were nine altogether. They came from great families and didn’t think much to their captivity. One night when Heidrek was lying in his bedroom, and few men with him, the thralls got hold of weapons and went to the king’s lodging and first killed the sentries. Next they went on and broke into the king’s lodging and slew King Heidrek and all who were inside there. They took the sword Tyrfing and all the treasure that was inside and carried it off with them. And at first no one knew who had done this or where vengeance should be sought.

Then Angantyr, Heidrek’s son, had a council called, and at the council he was declared king over all the lands that King Heidrek had owned. At this council, he made a solemn vow that he would never sit on his father’s throne till he’d avenged him.


- The Saga of Hervor & King Heidrek the Wise (Hervarar saga ok Heiðreks), Chapters 11 and 12