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Fafnir

Fafnir is a dragon in Norse mythology, best known as the guardian of a treasure hoard. In many versions he begins as a dwarf who, driven by greed, kills his father to claim the wealth of Andvari, including the cursed ring Andvaranaut. The gold’s curse brings misfortune to its possessors, and Fafnir transforms into a dragon to guard the hoard and his newfound power.

The story centers on the hero Sigurd, who is advised by the craftsman Regin. Regin forges a

Fafnir’s tale appears in sources such as the Volsunga Saga and the Poetic Edda and has influenced

sword
named
Gram
for
Sigurd
and
persuades
him
to
kill
Fafnir.
Sigurd
defeats
the
dragon
by
stabbing
it
in
the
underbelly
as
it
coiled
around
the
treasure.
After
slaying
Fafnir,
Sigurd
tastes
the
dragon’s
blood
and
gains
the
ability
to
understand
the
speech
of
birds,
learning
that
the
treasure
is
cursed
and
will
bring
doom
to
many.
He
then
takes
ownership
of
the
hoard,
setting
in
motion
a
chain
of
betrayals
and
tragedy
that
afflicts
the
Völsung
lineage
in
subsequent
legends.
later
literature
and
art.
In
the
Germanic
tradition
he
is
known
as
Fafner,
and
in
modern
adaptations
he
is
often
associated
with
the
ring
and
curse
motif.
The
legend
is
frequently
interpreted
as
a
meditation
on
greed,
the
corrupting
lure
of
wealth,
and
the
peril
that
accompanies
guarding
or
wielding
great
power.