Reginn

Reginn is a figure in Norse mythology, best known from the Völsunga saga. He is portrayed as a master smith, often described as the brother of the dragon Fáfnir and closely tied to the gold hoard that forms the core of the story. Reginn plays a pivotal role in the dragon-slaying plot, guiding and manipulating the young hero Sigurd (Siegfried) to obtain the treasure that Fáfnir guards.

In the saga, Reginn urges Sigurd to kill Fáfnir and reclaim the gold, and he helps prepare the weapons and plan for the deed. After Fáfnir is slain, Reginn seeks to claim the treasure for himself, and his scheming becomes clear to Sigurd. This confrontation culminates in Reginn’s death at Sigurd’s hands, marking a turning point in the legend and contributing to the subsequent tragedy that unfolds for Sigurd’s lineage.

Reginn’s character also appears in later adaptations and adaptations of Norse material. In the Ring cycle by Richard Wagner, for example, a dwarf named Regin appears as the smith who tutors and manipulates the hero Siegfried, reinforcing the motif of a cunning craftsman driving the plot around treasure and power. The figure of Reginn remains a symbol of smithing skill and scheming in Norse-derived literature.

See also: Fáfnir, Sigurd, Andvari, Völsunga saga, Wagner’s Ring.