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InNorse mythology,Reginn ([ˈreɣenː]; often anglicized asRegin orRegan) is a son ofHreiðmarr and the foster father ofSigurð. His brothers areFáfnir andÓtr.
Reginn goads Sigurð into killing Reginn's brother Fáfnir. He offers to make a sword for Sigurð, but Sigurð broke every sword Reginn forged for him by striking at an anvil. Sigurð retrieves the broken pieces of his fatherSigmund's sword,Gram, and brings them to Reginn. Reginn repairs the sword and gives it back to Sigurð. When Sigurð again tests the blade by striking the anvil, the anvil this time is split down to its base, and when Sigurð places a piece of wool in a stream, the current pushing the wool against the sword was enough to cause the blade to cut it in two. Sigurð is finally very pleased with Reginn's repaired weapon.[1] After using Gram to kill Fáfnir, Sigurð returns to ask Reginn what to do. Reginn instructs him to roast the heart of his brother, and let him eat it. As juice from the dragon's heart foams out, Sigurð tests it with his finger to see if it is done cooking. As the blood touches his tongue, Sigurð understands the speech of birds, who warn him that Reginn intends to kill him. Before he lets any of this happen, Sigurð first wields Gram and cuts off Reginn's head.[2]
WhenLoki mistakenly killsÓtr, Hreiðmarr demands to be repaid with the amount of gold it takes to fillÓtr's skin and cover the outside. Loki takes this gold from the dwarfAndvari, who curses it and especially the ringAndvaranaut. Fáfnir kills his father for this gold, but eventually becomes a greedyworm or dragon. Reginn gets none of the gold, but he becomes smith to the king and foster father toSigurð, teaching him many languages as well as sports, chess, and runes.[3]
Reginn had all wisdom and deftness of hand. Of his two brothers, he has the ability to work iron as well as silver and gold and he makes many beautiful and useful things. While Sigurð is living with Reginn, Reginn challenges Sigurð's respect in the kingdom. He tells Sigurð to ask for a horse. Sigurð asks the advice of an old man in the forest, and the old man shows him how to get a horse that is descended fromSleipnir, the eight-legged horse ofOdin.[4] Reginn continues to goad Sigurð, this time into killing Reginn's brother Fáfnir. He offers to make a sword for Sigurð, but Sigurð broke every sword Reginn forged for him by striking at an anvil. Sigurð retrieves the broken pieces of his fatherSigmund's sword,Gram, and brings them to Reginn. Reginn repairs the sword and gives it back to Sigurð. When Sigurð again tests the blade by striking the anvil, the anvil this time is split down to its base, and when Sigurð places a piece of wool in a stream, the current pushing the wool against the sword was enough to cause the blade to cut it in two. Sigurð is finally very pleased with Reginn's repaired weapon.[5]
After usingGram to kill Fáfnir, Sigurð returns to ask Reginn what to do. Reginn instructs him to roast the heart of his brother, and let him eat it. As juice from the dragon's heart foams out, Sigurð tests it with his finger to see if it is done cooking. As the blood touches his tongue,Sigurð understands the speech of birds, who warn him that Reginn intends to kill him. Before he lets any of this happen, Sigurð first wieldsGram and cuts off Reginn's head.[6]
The NorwegianÞiðreks saga relates a slightly different tale, with Reginn as the dragon andMimir as his brother and foster father to Sigurð.[citation needed]
In the 13th century'sPoetic Edda (Völuspá 12), the Dvergatal lists Reginn as advergr (dwarf).[citation needed]
Among the heroic lays of thePoetic Edda (Reginsmál, akaSigurðarkviða Fáfnisbana Önnur) says:
TheProse Edda (Skáldskaparmál 46) identifies the father of Reginn as Hreiðmarr, and his brothers Fáfnir and Ótr.[citation needed]
In the operatic cycleDer Ring des Nibelungen byRichard Wagner, the role of Reginn is played by the Nibelung dwarf Mime, brother ofAlberich (the Nibelung who forged the cursed ring out of the Rhinegold). Except for the change in name, probably inspired by theÞiðrekssaga, the story of Reginn, Sigurð, and Fáfnir inSiegfried follows closely the text of theEddas. However, in this version Mime is unable to reforge the sword Nothung, since only one who does not know fear—such as Siegfried—can do so.[citation needed]
Reginn also appears as the main protagonist of Book V inFire Emblem Heroes, albeit as a female dwarf as opposed to being male. She is voiced byMegan Shipman.[citation needed]
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